The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Ikotun Unit Command, has sensitised truck drivers and operators to health and safety issues that affect their performance.
The Unit Commander, FRSC Ikotun, Assistant Corps Commander, Florence Edor, said this at that the third quarter sensitisation programme for truck drivers/operators in collaboration with HACCP Academy Nigeria (HAN) on Thursday in Lagos.
The programme had the theme,’ Road Safety our Collective Responsibility’.
Edor urged them to always ensure that they are in good health, eat well and responsibly as their work entail safety of lives and property.
“Today’s gathering reflects our commitment to the very important truth, that road safety is not a job of one person, organisation or agency, but the collective responsibility of everyone who use the road.
“Truck drivers play a critical role in our nations economy, moving goods from point to point and keeping industries running.
“However, because of size, weight and operational demand of heavy vehicles, the margin for error on the road is slim,” she said.
She said the programme was designed to enlighten drivers on safe driving habits and adherence to traffic regulations, discuss health and safety issues that affect their performance.
She added that it would promote collaboration between truck drivers, FRSC and other stakeholders to reduce Road Traffic Crashes.
She tasked drivers on discipline, rest and safety speed; enforcement agencies on diligence, fairness and proactive; organisations and unions on training, vehicle maintenance and every road users on patience, courtesy and alertness.
“When we play our parts, safer road and fuller lives become achievable goals,” she said.
She appreciated the HACCP Academy for the partnership and for recognizing that road safety was linked to public health and work place safety.
Also commenting, the Head of Operations, FRSC Ikotun, Uko O Uko, urged the drivers to clean the ‘cobwebs’ on defensive driving to prevent road crashes.
He said the letters of the ‘cobwebs’ as C for coolant, O for oil, B for blinkers or brakes, W for wheel, E for energy, S for seat belt and the final S for speeding.
“Road traffic crashes does not have respect for age, they are killing our youths of today and so we should teach our children the right attitude on the road,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the drivers were encouraged to wear glasses when need be to see properly while driving.
They were also encouraged to avoid intake of drugs and substances, think of others safety and not just theirs and abide by road rules and regulations.
In transporting food, they should ensure they operate with standards to keep the food fit for consumption.
The event had in attendance, Special Marshals, the Nigeria Police Force, the Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, among others
