FRSC Seeks Improved Fines For Phone Users On Wheels

The Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Mr. Boboye Oyeyemi says the Corps is advocating an upward review of fines payable by users of mobile telephones while on the wheels.
The corps marshal also said that a minimum fine of N50, 000 to N100, 000 would served best as deterrence to defaulters rather than the paltry sum being currently demanded from defaulters.
He spoke at the Haulage and Logistics Magazine Annual Conference and Exhibition (HULMACE) held in Lagos on Wednesday.
Boboye also said no fewer than 74 Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) officials were killed by reckless drivers in the last 18 months across the country.
Boboye who warned that the commission would stop at nothing to bring killers of his personnel to justice, added that plans were already on for road traffic offenders to be meted stiffer punishment.
The FRSC boss said, “Already there are efforts before the National Assembly to jerk up the fine payable for a phone user while on the wheels. What is currently obtainable can not do the work, but when you have to pay N50, 000 to N100, 000 for using your phone while driving, then we will get somewhere.
“In the last 18 months I have lost about 74 lives. We will not stop at ensuring the prosecution of those errand drivers. “It is my responsibility to ensure the safety of my personnel on the highway, so if you knock down my personnel and you are running away, I will go after you. Explaining further, the corps marshal said it was discovered during the last Sallah patrols, 30 percent of articulated vehicle drivers do not see at night.
He continued, “during the last Sallah festival we observed that most drivers do not see well at night, it is the motor boys that drive them.
“So, we conducted vision test on the highway and motor parks and we observed that 30 percent of the articulated vehicle drivers have vision problem and that is also contributing to the crashes.