Commercial drivers laud FRSC’s advisory enforcement of speed limiting device
NAN-DS-17
Device
By Angela Atabo
Abuja, Oct.12, 2016 (NAN) Some commercial drivers have commended the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) for carrying out advisory enforcement of the Speed Limiting Device instead of immediate impounding of vehicles.
Some of the drivers who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the Kaduna-Abuja, Abuja-Lokoja – Nassarawa highways on Wednesday said they were glad that the Corps kept to its promise by advising them on the device before enforcing it.
Mr Musa Yunusa, an inter-state commercial bus driver plying Abuja – Kaduna – Kano road, said that he came from Kano and was glad that he was educated on the need to install the device.
According to him, the initiative is better than punishing him for not installing it.
Yunusa said that though he liked the initiative, he had no money to buy the device, yet.
He said that he would use the grace period given by the commission to save money to buy the device and install it.
“When we were informed by our unions that the implementation of the device would begin on Oct.1, we were agitated because we felt it was another way of extorting money from drivers.
“ From today’s education, I learnt that the device is for my safety and it will also help to preserve my car, so I will install it,”he said.
Mr Solomon Magaji, another inter-state commercial driver who plies the Abuja-Lokoja route, also commended commission for keeping to its promise of starting with advisory enforcement and putting into consideration the present economic situation in the country.
Magaji said that the initiative was good as it aimed at protecting the lives of drivers and other Nigerians.
He commended the corps for considering the present economic situation by adding some month’s grace to enable the drivers to comply.
Mr Tena Mathew, who plies the Nassarawa – Benue – Jos road, commended the introduction of the device, saying that it would protect lives of drivers and passengers on the road.
“I have been doing this driving work for more than 10 years now; I have seen terrible accidents on the roads and have lost some good friends too in ghastly accidents.
“Some of the accidents are caused by avoidable speed, all the same, I thank God that I am witnessing its implementation, others did not live to tell the story, ”he said.
Mathew thanked the Federal Government for the apt intervention, adding that it would drastically reduce accidents and protect lives.
He, however, pleaded that the price of the device be regulated to enhance easy purchase.
The Corps Marshal of FRSC, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi, had earlier told NAN that the device was to regulate the maximum speed limit of vehicles plying the highways to reduce road crashes.
Oyeyemi said that the device controlled the speed of a vehicle without allowing the driver to accelerate beyond the stipulated speed limit allowed by law, as programmed in the vehicle.
He assured transport unions and commercial drivers of lenient approach toward its implementation.
Oyeyemi added that commercial vehicles would be subjected to guided compliance in the mode of the corps’ free vehicle safety checks.
“This time around, it will be speed limiter installation checks.
“The exercise shall, therefore, be known as Speed Limiting Device Verification Checks,” the corps marshal said. (NAN)
ATAB/DUA/AMY
Edited by Dada Ahmed and Abdullahi Yusuf