By Angeline Mgbele, Bureau Chief, North

As Nigerian Christians join their counterparts from across the world to celebrate this year’s Christmas, the Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Dauda Ali Biu has felicitated with them and enjoined everyone of the Corps’ readiness to make the highways safe for all during the period.

A press statement issued by  Deputy Corps Marshal(DCM) Federal Road Safety Corps Headquarters, Abuja, FCT, Bisi Kazeem, this was contained in his Christmas message in which the FRSC Corps Marshal reiterated his earlier call for people to guard against bad driving habits that could compromise the safety of road users.

The FRSC boss particularly cautioned travelers against dangers that went with road travels in this period of increased human and vehicular traffic, stressing that people must show extra vigilance while using the road to overcome any form of carnage.

Dauda Biu further called on road users to support the ongoing road safety sensitisation programmes by the FRSC to address issues of poor attitude to road usage, saying such behaviour accounted for why the periods of Christmas and new year became the most challenging to the campaigns for safer road environments in the country.

He further noted that while FRSC as part of its annual end of year special patrol had put adequate measures in place and mapped out strategies to address all the anticipated traffic challenges that could hinder free movement of people and vehicles, such measures would remain inadequate without cooperation from members of the public particularly those that traveled on the roads.

He therefore warned people against offences like route violation, overloading, speeding, light signs violation and driving under the influence of alcohol/drugs which had been identified as being responsible for most crashes and deaths that occurred during the yuletide seasons.

As per the FRSC boss, all road travelers must observe basic traffic rules to ensure the desired safety outcome, not only during the Christmas and new year celebrations, but beyond the seasons.

He assured the public that adequate patrol and rescue logistics as well as personnel had been deployed along all black spots and major highways across the country to ease movement of travelers and render prompt medical care in case of crashes related and other emergencies.

He further appealed to Nigerians to report any cases of obstruction, crashes and other emergencies to the FRSC toll free line: 122 or directly call to the studios of the FRSC National Traffic Radio-107.1fm through the numbers: 08052998090 or 09067000015 for prompt response to the distress calls on all parts of the roads across the country.

The  FRSC Corps Marshal wished all Nigerians happy Christmas and safe celebration.