Rivers FRSC Tasks Drivers On Speed Limit Devices

The monorail ready for transportation in Port Harcourt. Photo: Prince Obinna Dele

The Rivers State Com
mand of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has directed all commercial vehicle owners and drivers to install speed limit devices in their cars or risk being arrested and prosecuted.
This order takes effect from June, 1,2015.
The sector Commander of the corp in the state, Mr Sunday Oghenekaro dropped the hint during a stakeholders’ sensitization forum on the implementation of speed-Limited device in intercity transport vehicles in Nigeria and use of reflective tapes in buses, held at the sector Command Conference Hall, Port Harcourt on Friday.
Oghenekaro said the need for the installation of speed limiting device in transport vehicles on inter-state routes was informed by evidence of performance from highway commercial drivers nation-wide as well as records of daily crashes attributed to excessive speed.
He noted that although a number of highways are not in recommended conditions as they are in deplorable states, thereby making the drivers to use the roads with impunity in careless disregard for recommended speed limit for vehicles type and road.
According to him, the general attitude of drivers and fleet operators themselves to speed management has prompted the corps to make speed limiting device in transport vehicles an imperative, adding that “Those who engage in this practice should have a rethink because continued incidences of road crashes occasioned by excessive speed could wipe out the entire company annual expected profit if not completely ground its operations aside permanent loss of reputation.”.
The state FRSC boss therefore solicited the full co-operation of all concerned toward ensuring improve driver highway performance across the state.
He also reiterated the use of  retro-reflective tapes as another safety requirement that fleet operators needed to further promote visibility of vehicles especially at night in addition to the built-illumination camps.
The Rivers Sector Commander of FRSC disclosed that the provision was earlier enforced across the country but that the activities of unscrupulous elements who engaged in taking and undermining of the recommended standard contributed to its failure.
“Following the recommendation and decision of the Executive Council of the West African Road Safety Organization (WARSO), which adopted the implementation of the use of retro-reflective tapes on vehicles in the West African sub-region at their 2012 Annual General Meeting held October 1-5, 2012, that all vehicles plying roads across the West African sub-region comply with this decision, implementation in this regard has also become imperative.
“We therefore implore all fleet operators, Transport unions and individuals engage in commercial transportation across the state to commence immediate action with regards to installing speed limiting devices in their buses to check driver excessive on the road and also affix, retro-reflective tapes on the front sides and the rear of such commercial buses”, he posited.
Oghenekaro however expressed optimistic that with the secured co-operation and collaboration the roads across the state will be safer and the profit motive of the various companies would be realised.