The Directorate of Road Traffic Crashes (DRTS) has urged the motoring public to sustain collective vigilance against the menace of road traffic crashes in the country.

The national coordinator, Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO) Mayors of the Federation, Dr Yusuf Suberu, said this when he led his team on a campaign against road crashes in Abuja.

Mr Suberu applauded the road safety stakeholders for sustaining the tempo of campaigns, urging that it be intensified.

He called for more efforts to consolidate the gains of the campaigns to restore sanity on roads and confidence of road users in the use of road transportation, especially in the FCT.

He reiterated the importance of the ongoing global campaign for a safer road environment by the United Nations General Assembly.

“The campaign is under the auspices of the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021-2030, and the role that individuals and corporate organisations could play in its realisation,” he said.

“We are here on advocacy for safety to ensure that we are able to meet up the requirements as regards the UN decade of action and injury prevention.

“It will be a continuous thing and it will spread across the six area councils in the FCT. Anywhere you see festivities or large gatherings,₩ you’ll see VIO mayors there to ensure safety for road users.

“Our advocacy is part of an environment where there is an event or festivities . We are preparing towards airport roads because we noticed that vehicles knocked down worshippers on Sunday and we want to give adequate support,” he said.

Mr Suberu said that road safety was everybody’s business, adding that it was important to drive safely to stay alive.

He emphasised that it was very important to obey the rules and regulations of driving, adding that safety was not just for anybody but for personal self.

“If you are thinking of protecting yourself, that means you are also protecting others. Protect yourself by obeying the rules and regulations of driving,“ he said.

The VIO boss enjoined every Nigerian to embrace the ideals of the road safety campaign for the success of the global efforts against road carnage.

Also speaking, Monday Elimigbe, chairman, Board of Trustees, Drivers Welfare Club of Nigeria, urged the FCT minister, Nyesom Wike, to form a collaboration between security and safety agencies to curb road crashes.

Mr Elimigbe also urged relevant stakeholders, mayors and members of the public not to relent in their efforts at addressing road traffic crashes in the territory.

He said that the exercise carried out by the Mayors was very important as the axis had not been controlled by any of the Mayors, adding that it was the first time the newly inducted mayors would control traffic.

“Today’s exercise is very essential because it’s our first outing and very important to us. It’s also an eye opener for us to know the rules and regulations on how traffic should be controlled within the Abuja metropolis.

“We urge the FCT minister, who is the chief security officer of the territory, to form a kind of collaboration between all the road safety and security agencies

“Let there be a joint patrol instead of allowing them to operate differently. There should be a day set aside for such. FRSC, VIO , NSCDC and the Police should come together for the joint operations

“With the help of the VIO, FRSC and the Police, the government can control traffic issues in FCT,” he said.

Mayorship is a voluntary effort by some members of the society who believe in joint efforts to curtail incessant road traffic crashes in the country.

 (NAN)