Traffic Regulations: FRSC To Sue Firms Over Non-Compliance

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) is to initiate legal action against companies which fail to comply fully with the National Road Traffic Regulations.

The Lagos State Sector Commander of the FRSC, Mr Nseobong Akpabio, made this known in Lagos on Tuesday at a stakeholders’ forum for the Road Transport Safety Standardisation Scheme (RTSSS).

Akpabio said that the corps had already started issuance of notice of intention to begin the legal action.

He said that the notice was informed by the failure of fleet transport operators to subscribe to the full requirement of the RTSSS.

The sector commander said that the corps had so far certified 110 fleet operators in Lagos State, who complied with safety standards.

He explained that the standards included road worthiness of vehicles, provision of operating terminus, safety policy document, possession of valid driver’s licence and certification programme.

The sector commander said that effective implementation of the RTSSS required the creation of a data base for all registered operators with at least five vehicles in their fleet.

He said that the data base would facilitate effective planning, monitoring and sanctioning of the operators.

The sector commander said that the corps had designed a website — www.frsc-rtsss.org — for use by the operators.

He said that the road transport system desired much attention since it accounted for 71 per cent of Nigeria’s mobility needs, with a total network of 200,000km, out of which federal roads accounted for about 34,000km.

Akpabio expressed worry at the increasing use of substandard mini-buses by many schools to convey school children, saying that many children had been killed by such vehicles.

Akpabio urged stakeholders to redress the trend on the heels of the United Nation’s declaration of 2011-2020 an accident free decade.