The Federal Road Safety Corps has again cautioned drivers on the imperatives of driving with caution during the rainy season to avoid road hazards that occur as a result of wet and slippery road surfaces, foggy weather and occasional poor visibility that characterize the season among others.

According to the Corps Public Education Officer, Bisi Kazeem, the Corps Marshal, Dr. Boboye Oyeyemi, is concerned about the rate at which people neglect the basic ethics of driving during the rainy season, which results in avoidable crashes, death and fatal injuries in some cases.

Kazeem revealed that low level of vehicle maintenance among motorists, especially the commercial drivers, form part of the collective variables that propelled the Corps Marshal's resolve to admonish all motorists to make sure their vehicles are in good condition at all time.

He quoted Oyeyemi as saying that “it is important for all motorists to ensure their braking systems, wipers, and headlamps are working properly, reduce your speed, ensure that your demisters are functional, put on your headlights, dim your headlights in order to see and be seen and put on your hazard lights during the rains.”

The Corps Marshal further emphasised that “if visibility is poor, drivers should endeavour to move off the road and park safely, leave your parking lights on and keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front of you.”

He then called on all Nigerians to always utilise the FRSC Toll free numbers (122) to report any crash for immediate rescue services, anytime a crash occurs as personnel are on standby 24hours to ensure prompt rescue to crash victims.

Meanwhile, towards the celebration of the 2019 Democracy Day when the new democratic government would be inaugurated in Nigeria at the federal and state levels across the country, FRSC has urged Nigerians to embrace safety ideals by adhering strictly to all traffic rules and regulations to make the event a success. FRSC spokesperson Kazeem stressed the importance of safety during the celebration.

According to him, FRSC has identified democracy day celebration as one of the festive periods in the country that attracts high traffic volume and tendency by people to violate traffic rules and regulations with resultant road traffic crashes, injuries and deaths. He therefore warns members of the public to be cautious of the high traffic movement during the celebration in order to take necessary action to avert any ugly incident.

Kazeem said that the FRSC is aware that Democracy Day celebration is one period in Nigeria that normally attracts high traffic volume due to massive movement of people from one place to the other for the celebration. Accordingly, FRSC has always put necessary measures in place to address whatever traffic challenges that could affect people's movements during the celebration.

To this end, the Corps Marshal of FRSC, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi, has directed Commanding Officers across the country to intensify patrol and mobilise their personnel for effective management of traffic during the event in order to ensure smooth and safe movement of the people.

He also called on motorists to avoid acts that could undermine their safety and that of other road users, stressing that it is only the living that can celebrate.

According to him, everyone must operate with the consciousness that road safety is a shared responsibility and must not act in any manner that could affect safety of others.

The release further stated that while the Corps Marshal wishes all Nigerians happy 2019 democracy day celebration, he enjoins them to drive safely to save a life.