The Directorate of Road Traffic Services has called for regular vehicle inspections to ensure that vehicles are in good condition to prevent crashes.

The National Coordinator, Vehicle Inspection Office, Mayors of the Federation, Dr Yusuf Suberu, said this during an interview on Tuesday in Abuja.

Mr Suberu said the inspection could be done at designated checkpoints or during routine road safety checks.

He said the absence of regular vehicle inspection had been a contributing factor to the high rate of crashes in the country.

He also said lack of regular inspections allowed many vehicles with mechanical issues to ply the roads, posing risks to drivers, passengers and pedestrians.

According to him, there is a need to support increased advocacy for widespread vehicle inspection in Nigeria.

“Vehicle owners should engage in regular vehicle inspection to ascertain mechanical faults to avoid breakdown of vehicles resulting in crashes. Vehicles that are not roadworthy should be taken off the road as your vehicle is your body,” he said.

Mr Suberu, however, said drivers were the major cause of crashes, adding that there was a need to engage them through effective monitoring.

This, he said, included education, evaluation and enlightenment, as many of them engaged in drunk driving.

He called for strict enforcement of traffic laws saying that there should be an increase in the presence of traffic police wardens, road safety officials and VIOs on the roads.

He said this would help to monitor vehicles guilty of overloading and speeding.

“Offenders should be fined and penalised to deter others from engaging in such practices and road safety officials should be encouraged to also carry arms so that they can man the roads 24 hours. There is also a need to conduct public awareness campaigns to educate drivers and passengers on the dangers of overloading and speeding. Road safety officers should also highlight the risks of accidents, injuries, and fatalities associated with these practices to them, ’’he said.

The VIO boss urged the public to get involved in correcting erring drivers, calling on them to always caution drivers whenever they noticed violation of traffic rules.

 (NAN)