From CHINEDU ASADU, Enugu
As the year is gradually rolling to an end, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Enugu State Command, has advocated the use of bicycles as a means of transport to help reduce accidents on the roads.
The commission which made this appeal in its spread of the ‘gospel of ember months’ to the people of Enugu, also urged them to drive with utmost caution, ‘not just to be alive but to save life’.
Therefore, FRSC had during the National Bicycle Week held from December 15 to 20, took to the streets of the Coal City on an enlightenment campaign to stress the need for safe driving during the Christmas period.
The campaign was also targeted at creating awareness on the use of bicycles as a better alternative means of driving.
Addressing newsmen during the campaign, the Sector Commander, Enugu State Command, Taiwo Gabriel Eseyin, said that the campaign was aimed at sensitizing the people on the need to drive with care while travelling on the festive period.
He lamented on high rate of accidents that characterize the festive period, warning that the sector would not take it kindly with anyone seen going against traffic rules.
According to him, “there are a lot of things distracting people when driving during this period, making them to lose concentration. There are so many expectations they have not been able to make and this takes their mind away and you see the person over speeding and going against traffic rules.”
He, therefore, urged people to make ‘driving to save life’ their priority, stressing that the traffic rules must be strictly adhered to.
“We all need to be sensitive to traffic rules and regulations. We must learn to drive with caution, not just to stay alive, but to save live. When you save your live, you have also saved the life of others”, he said.
The sector commander noted that the campaign was also aimed at making the general public to understand the importance of bicycles as a means of transport.
He observed that besides reducing the rate of road accidents along the roads, riding bicycles are of numerous benefits, ranging from health to economic impact, adding that “when you ride the bicycle, you are doing exercise and it improves your health status”.
His words: “Research has shown that using the bicycle as a means of transportation has great benefit on our health; when you continuously ride the bicycle, your health status is increased by 10 year. Riding bicycles also causes decongestion of traffic. If most people ride bicycle, you will see that all the gridlocks we have in the city will not be there.
“Another benefit from the use of bicycles as means of transportation is that it will reduce the amount of fuel consumption thereby reducing the pressure on the economy. When you have a bicycle, you don’t need to spend money buying fuel, the only expenses you have made is the bicycle itself”, he said.
Also speaking, the state Commissioner for Works and Infrastructural Development, Hon Godwin Madueke, commended the corps for their efforts in ensuring safety of lives on Nigeria roads.
The commissioner, who was represented at the occasion by the ministry’s Deputy Director (Special Duties), Engr. Maurice Ngwu, also stated that the ministry has been working in tandem with the corps to ensure adequate safety on the roads.
“If you watch our roads, the number of potholes has tremendously reduced. Most of the state roads where people were not able to drive along before are relatively smooth and durable now”, he said, stressing that “it is not a guarantee for people to over-speed”.
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