The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has warned motorists against demonising the “ember months”, saying there was no evil associated with the last four months of the year, except the usual high-level of vehicle movement. The Acting Corps Marshal of FRSC, DCP Ali Biu, gave the warning at the start of the 2022 “ember months” campaign in Ado Ekiti on Thursday. Biu attributed causes of crashes generally to the use of worn-out tyres and impatience by motorists, insisting that “no demon causes accidents during “ember months”. Represented by the National Assistant Public Education Officer, DCC C.E. Edem, Biu warned against “distracted driving”, by motorists who indulge in using cell phones while behind the wheel. The Acting Corps Marshal described the use of cell phones by motorists while driving as “distracted driving”, saying the act is dangerous. He said that driving involves the engagement of all sense organs, explaining that a slight distraction on the part of the driver could cause danger to the driver and other road users. Similarly, the Zonal Commanding Officer of FRSC, Ilorin, Kwara, ACM Hyginus Omejei, warned against speeding and carrying excess luggage by motorists. According to him, available data have shown that between 2009 and 2011, 25.8 per cent of fatal-related crashes on the nation’s highways were caused by speeding. He, therefore, encouraged commercial drivers to embrace the installation of “Speed Limit Devices” in their vehicles.
In his address, the Sector Commander of the FRSC in Ekiti, Mr Olusola Joseph, said that the annual “ember” months’ event was aimed at reawakening the road users’ consciousness to the realities of the last four months of the year. Joseph explained that the 2022 campaign with the theme: “Avoid Speeding, Overloading and Unsafe Tyres to Arrive Alive”, was decided upon to focus on the major causative factors of road traffic crashes, that is, the human factor. He said, “engaging in speeding, overloading of vehicles (either human or goods) and using of worn-out as well as second-hand tyres known as “tokunbo” tyres are human activities that usually lead to crashes. “When that happens, particularly during the last quarter of the year; rather than apportioning blames appropriately, people are rather quick to demonise this period.”
