The Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, has called on state governments and relevant authorities to intensify the enforcement of road safety regulations, particularly regarding truck standards and driver conduct.
Speaking in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, on Wednesday, FRSC spokesman Olusegun Ogungbemide raised concerns over the poor condition of trucks on Nigerian roads, citing issues such as inadequate maintenance, speeding, and disregard for traffic laws as major contributors to road accidents.
His remarks followed the recent tanker explosion on the Nyanya-Mararaba Expressway, which was caused by brake failure in a Dangote Cement truck.
“The truck’s brakes failed, causing it to collide with vehicles in a gridlock, sparking a fatal inferno,”; Ogungbemide said.
He noted that while the Federal Government has no national policy restricting the movement of articulated vehicles during specific hours, some states have implemented their own regulations.
“I am aware that different states now have their own regulations regarding the movement of articulated vehicles,”; he stated, adding that the FCT, for instance, restricts such vehicles from highways between 3 p.m. and 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. and 12 p.m.
To enhance safety, Ogungbemide highlighted the FRSC’s Road Transport Safety Standardisation Scheme (RTSSS), introduced in 2007, which mandates pre-loading safety checks for petroleum, diesel, and gas trucks.
“No petroleum, diesel, or gas truck is expected to be loaded without our safety clearance,”; he emphasized.
He also stressed the need to improve transport alternatives to reduce reliance on roadways.
“Until other modes of transport are developed, the risks on our roads will remain high,”; he warned.
Ogungbemide reaffirmed the FRSC’s commitment to reducing accidents and announced that a full report on the Nyanya-Mararaba crash investigation would be released once completed.
