Drug impairment responsible for road crashes in Bauchi – FRSC
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Bauchi State, has identified drugs impairment among some drivers as responsible for spate of road crashes in the state.
The Sector Commander, Mr Yusuf Abdullahi made the observation in an interview, on Monday in Bauchi.
Abdullahi, who said that all the senses of a driver must be functioning properly, lamented the high number of lives lost to traffic accidents due to the consumption of hard drugs.
“Some of these drivers live on substances. They live on hard drugs either to keep them awake or to endure long distant movement, forgetting that there is no way you can cheat nature.
“Your senses must be fine, so as to drive within the limit of traffic rules and regulations, and by the time the drug starts deceiving them, they overdo things and before you know, something negative might happen,” he added.
He also identified non-installation of Speed Limiting Devices (SLD) by commercial drivers as another factor responsible for road crashes in the state.
He noted that installation of the SLD device would go a long way in controlling speed and also reduce road carnages.
“Drivers are not adhering to the installation of the SLD device.
“Even people passing through Bauchi State from other states don’t install the speed limit device in their vehicles and mostly, they are the ones crashing here in Bauchi state,” he said.
He said that 90 per cent of the accident could be controlled with proper installation of the speed limit device, adding that the SLD was programmed in accordance with the Nigeria traffic regulations.
“The way and manner in which vehicles are overloaded is overwhelming and this is another factor responsible for road traffic crashes.
“It overtakes the entire mechanisms of the vehicle and for this reason, any slight thing, the vehicle would go off.
“Drivers lose control at the slightest mistake because the weight is contesting with the steering,” he said.
According to him, the Corps will strengthen partnership with voluntary community organisations to scale up sensitisation activities towards promoting safety on the road.
He noted that the Corps had informed the Chief Imam and the Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the state on the need for sensitisation in churches and mosques.
“They should educate them that the number of crashes is on the increase and there is need to change our attitude positively towards driving.
“This partnership with religious institutions and voluntary organisations will further enlighten the passengers to know that they have the right to caution any driver and this would tell the driver that these people truly know their rights,” he said.