Drivers urge to shun taboo about ember months, apply lessons learnt at LASDRI to experience road safety
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Mrs. Afusat Tiamiyu, General Manager, Lagos State Drivers’ Institute, LASDRI, in the company of other state’s and federal agencies on road and traffic management, addressing drivers at Iyana-Ipaja motor park
A multidisciplinary approach to imparting defensive driving principles on commercial drivers in Lagos State has been pioneered by the Lagos State Drivers’ Institute, LASDRI, at the recent outreach conducted at the Iyana Ipaja motor park which paraded faculty members from, Lagos State Traffic Management LASTMA, LASTMA, Vehicle Inspection Service, VIS, and the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC.
The leader of the faculty members, Mrs. Afusat Tiamiyu, while opening the informal session last weekend, stated that the major reason for motor vehicle accidents and road carnage is bad roads, unworthy road vehicles, unskilled and unschooled drivers on the highways.
The General Manager said it’s high time the general public and the drivers be purged of the misinformation which is a taboo that ember months are the time the road thirst more for blood.
She explained that the increase in human and vehicular traffic on the road and the mindset of drivers to make more money in this season through more trips, and the disregard for road safety rules are part of the factors responsible for the increase in incidents and serious accidents during the ember months.
Hence she said LASDRI in compliance with Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu’s directive of zero accidents in Lagos State, has compelled LASDRI to take road safety advocacy through drivers retraining and recertification to all nooks and crannies of Lagos State.
Mrs. Tiamiyu announced that “the Lagos State Government has empowered LASDRI to take training to drivers in their various parks so that they can know what is expected of them during and beyond the ember months. We believe that with training, re-training, and recertification of drivers, we will bring the best out of them and get to zero level accident rate which is our target”, she said.
Tiamiyu, therefore, appealed to all commercial drivers to make sure their vehicles are in good condition and ensure their psychological health is stable, as well as imbibe patience as a virtue in the discharge of their daily duties.
Also speaking at the event, the Commandant of Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, (LASTMA), in charge of the Iyana-Ipaja axis, Mr. Kehinde Makinde, explained that the traffic laws and regulations put in place by the Lagos State Government are for the good of the drivers as well as the safety of all motoring public if they complied with them.
He added that most accidents that occur in the ember months are caused by human factors as commercial drivers are in the habit of plying one-way whenever there is traffic so as to make as many trips as possible which will translate to more money within a short time. While the dangers and threats to lives and properties from such illegal acts are innumerable, he said
Makinde cautioned commercial drivers involved in these perilous acts to shun the harmful acts, appealing that they should always put other drivers, road users, and pedestrians into consideration.
On his part, the Superintendent Route Commander, C.M Oseji, of the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, said that driving to stay alive requires appropriate driving behaviour which includes the drivers’ mental alertness, positive attitude, and driving a road-worthy vehicle.
Hence he reminded his audience that, it is required that all drivers should exhibit these attitudes at all times.
The Branch E Chairman of the Iyana-Ipaja motor park garage, Mr. Tajudeen Alao, was full of appreciation to the Lagos State Government for its road safety efforts through LASDRI.
He pledged that the training received at the event will also be extended to members of the park who were unavoidably absent at the state meeting and crave the indulgence of the Government to continue its partnership with the union.
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