Motorists have been advised to desist from using 18-seater buses for long distance travels as they were not designed for such.

The Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Dauda Biu, said on Friday at a news conference in Abuja

He noted that most traffic accidents recorded in the country involved 18 seater buses.

According to him, the 18 seater buses were designed for short distance travels.

Mr Biu also said there was an alarming rate of crashes and fatalities from accidents that occurred as a result of night journeys and excessive speed in the country.

“A lot of crashes we have recorded involved 18 seater buses and the crashes also occurred at night. This is devastating and worrisome.

“To this end, great emphasis must be made to discourage the use of 18 seater buses registered under intra state mass transit, for inter-state long journeys.

“A practice that contradicts the use of high capacity luxury buses specifically designed for such purposes,” he said.

Mr Biu said that the corps had put in measures to ensure a drastic decline in road traffic crashes by up-scaling and improving the quality of its public education and enforcement campaigns.

He said the corps would constitute a think-tank to map out strategic initiatives for the rebirth and upgrade of enlightenment campaigns in motor parks across the country.

The corps marshal added that the FRSC would broaden existing relationships with stakeholders to secure their buy-in on driver education.

(NAN)