…Seeks early delivery of TTP on strategic locations on highways
The leadership of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has linked incessant road accidents involving truck drivers to lack of regular rests before taking off or at intervals of at least every four hours driving.
This is the key provision of the new safety scheme initiated by the Corps, tagged ‘Road Transport Safety Standardisation’, presented at the Nigerian Shippers’ Council/FRSC sensitisation rally on truck transit parks.
The Assistant Corps Marshall, Mr Victor Mbakolo, who represented Corps Marshal, Boboye Oyeyemi, said the scheme mandated fleet drivers to rest for at least 15 minutes after every four hours of conscious driving.
“This is a global safety best practice to fight fatigue that may lead to road accidents,” he said.
According to him, the service had suggested to FERMA that truck transit parks should be located at strategic points to enable drivers who wanted to rest to do so, noting that FRSC had collaborated with the Nigerian Ports Authority to further drive the implementation of the TTP scheme.
Oyeyemi, however averred that the implementation was challenged by operational setbacks on enforcement, non-review of existing road freight regulations in the country, setting standards for truck drivers, public education and enlightenment and generation of database to enhance establishment of the TTP along major corridors.
But in view of the fact that 80 to 85 per cent of cargoes were being transported by road, the Service recommended investment in the TTP pending when the ports will be fully connected with railway transportation.
