The head of operations at the Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO) Cross River command, Akak Eyo, says the agency is the sole legal authority empowered by law to provide accident reports.

Mr Eyo disclosed to journalists on Wednesday in Calabar while reacting to the overlapping functions of sister agencies in the road traffic business.

In the event of a road crash, the traffic unit of the Nigeria Police Force arrives at the accident scene, while the Federal Road Safety (FRSC) officials are responsible for clearing the road and transporting victims to hospitals or morgues, stated the head of operations.

He said it was the profession of officials of VIO to investigate and tell the cause of the accident because they were mostly engineers.

“Police officers who know their jobs in the traffic unit, after all have been done, will write a letter to the VIO requesting an accident inspection and report because it is their function,’’ stated Mr Eyo.

Mr Eyo further said road crashes in Cross River were minimal, adding that his message to road users, especially the commercial bus and taxi drivers, was that they should be less anxious and careless while using the roads.

He explained that creating congestion and increasing the risk of accidents result from stopping in the middle of the road or unauthorised locations to pick up and drop off passengers, simply to outsmart other drivers.

Mr Eyo said that was why the agency in the state, through its Director of Road Transport Services, Paul Bepeh, was going around public places like markets, parks, and religious organisations to emphasise the theme for 2023, which was “safety first, drive to survive.”

He said apart from having a duly registered vehicle and valid driver’s license, drivers are expected to have a first-aid box and four litres of water in their boot, among other things, to forestall any eventuality on the road and even save lives.

(NAN)