The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Kwara Command, on Tuesday blamed most accidents during ember months for carelessness on the part of drivers and not by demonic spirits.
The State Sector Commander, Mr Jonathan Owoade, said this at the 2020 launching of Ember Months Safety Campaign at Maraba Park, Ilorin.
Owoade said that ember months were period of festivities and people erroneously believe that evil forces on the roads were responsible for auto crashes and fatalities.
”But the struggle on the part of people to travel to meet their loved ones and many trips by commercial drivers to make more profit in preparation for the Yuletide without adequate rest, are mainly responsible for the road mishaps.
“As the year is coming to the end, we have to remind ourselves of the dangers of over-loading, speeding, drinking alcohol while driving and fatigue among others.
“The ember months is here, we should drive safely to avoid crashes and we are praying that by end of the year, we will record zero crashes in Kwara state,” he said.
Owoade said he had warned his officials not to chase any driver who engaged in over-loading or speeding, but pick the registration number to avoid accident.
He said further that any driver caught in the act would be dealt with after picking their plate number.
Owoade urged road users to report any FRSC official caught chasing vehicles on the road.
The Vice Chairman, state’s National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Alhaji Mahmud Are, commended FRSC for reminding them of dangers on the roads.
Are assured FRSC officials that members of his union would respect the road signs and avoid any act capable of causing auto crash on the road.
He urged the government to rehabilitate Ogbomosho-Oyo road and Bida-Minna roads to reduce number of accidents on those roads.
