The Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Maitama, Abuja branch and the Federal Road and Maintenance Agency (FERMA) have put safety marks on a 2-kilometre road to reduce crashes.

The Vice-Chairman of the NSE branch, Henry Okoye, made this known on Sunday in Abuja.

Mr Okoye said that the road marking of Sun City junction to SunnyVale junction was very important so as to avoid crashes by motorists and other road users.

According to him, road markings are of different types and they play major roles in road safety.

“For drivers who have the knowledge of road markings, they know when to remain on their lanes or change lanes by overtaking,” Mr Okoye said.

Another member of the NSE, Itodo Thomas said road markings were expedient so as to ensure safety on the highway and avoid crashes by road users.

Mr Thomas said that many accidents had been recorded on the particular stretch of road being marked.

He attributed road crashes to lack of demarcation of the road and lack of markings on the particular spot.

Professor Abubakar Ismail, the Executive Director, Planning and Engineering Services at FERMA said so much importance was attached to road marking because it reduced crashes.

Mr Ismail assured that henceforth, the Federal Road Safety Commission would no longer need to put safety cones on the road every morning as road marks were now in place at the spot.

He promised that the gesture would also be extended to other parts of the city as soon as dangerous spots were identified.

Also speaking, Emmanuel Kayode, Head of Traffic, Engineering and Safety Division of FERMA commended the collaboration with NSE Maitama branch.

Mr Kayode said that serviceability of a road was when the road was expected to provide safety, comfort and reduce travel time for road users.

“But, in the situation where you have a road with a high volume of traffic without lane markings, you will have crashes that could be fatal,” he said.

Mr Kayode urged road users to be safety conscious in order to avoid crashes and save lives.

(NAN)