The National Assembly has started consideration of proposed amendments to the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) Act, Cap. F19, LFN, 2007.

The bill sponsored by Honourable Jagaban Adams Jagaban proposes to add extra six offences to the existing 36 ones. They are: driving without headlight which to attract a fine of N20,000; refusal to use pedestrian bridge attracts a fine of N20,000; hawking on pedestrian bridge attracts a fine of N25,000; violation of traffic light attracts a fine of N60,000; driving on walkway goes for a fine of N50,000 and hitting a pedestrian at zebra crossing attracts a fine of N50,000.

During the Public Hearing on the bill held yesterday in Room 231 of the House of Representatives, Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, called on the general public to always obey traffic laws as offenders of the laws do not only endanger their lives but also the lives and safety of other road users.

Fashola commended the sponsor of the bill over the concern he has as a representative over the issue of safety of life and property. He, however, appealed to the National Assembly to consider community service, instead of instead of imposing heavy fines which might not be effective in correcting perpetrators. “Fine also will not correct. There are recidivists among the road users who will always break the laws. Parliament should rather go for training and recertification of drivers also in the aspect of psychiatric evaluation of drivers,” Fashola said.

In his speech, Chairman, House Committee on Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Honourable Ustaz Abubakar, representing Speaker of the House, Honourable Yakubu Dogara, said: “Unfortunately, 20-50 million people sustain fatal crashes in the country and 24 million people die as a result of road safety crashes, which occurs mostly among young males than females. This is getting reduced dramatically in the country, as a result of the deliberate measures embarked upon by the FRSC.”

He assured that there would be a continued effort on the part of National Assembly to provide a fundamental framework to further ensure safety. “It is a matter of evolving proper strategies for its implementation. These offenses by the road users are common ones which have caused moment of loss and trauma to many families. We want to be one of the safest countries that would reduce rate of accidents on our roads,” Hon. Abubakar observed.

Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Federal Road Safety Commission, Honourable Solomon Maren, in his opening speech stressed the need for attitudinal change by road users as well as in road safety management in the country.

•Photo shows bill sponsor, Hon. Jagaban Adams Jagaban.