FRSC urges fleet operators to engage trained drivers

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Ondo State Command has charged fleet operators to always engage trained drivers to avoid crashes on highways.

Mr Ezekiel SonAllah, Ondo State Sector Commander of FRSC, made the call at the 2022 Safety Manager and Driver Certification on Saturday in Akure.

Supreme reports that the workshop was organised for registered fleet operators under the Road Transport Safety Standardisation Scheme (RTSSS) of the command.

Fleet operators are individuals, organisations, government departments and agencies who engage in transport service with at least five vehicles in it's fleet.

SonAllah, who explained that most crashes on highways were due to human errors, said it had became necessary for fleet operators to engage professional drivers who knew the rudiments of the road.

According to him, FRSC keeps on saying lives have no duplicate, so what is important is the ability to sustain life whenever you are embarking on any journey.

"Ember months are here now where vehicular and human movement is on the high side, we have taken it upon ourselves to check the excesses of transport operators for us to record zero crashes during the period.

"We need all of us to fight the high rate of crashes, because if we have well-trained drivers as a result of fleet operators, then we will be sure that our roads are safe.

"So, our vision in the road safety is to eradicate road crashes and ensure a safe environment in Nigeria," he said.

SonAllah, therefore, said there was the need for registered fleet operators to train their drivers, adding the same method could not be continuously used while expecting different results.

The sector commander also said the workshop was organised to entrench a culture of safety consciousness in organisations and companies with fleet of vehicles, especially in the Ember Months.

According to him, this is a yearly programme because safety managers and drivers certification is very important as there are lots of innovation in the transport system that drivers need to know.

Also, Mr Busuyi Komolafe, the Sector Transport Standardisation Officer, said the participants were drawn across the state, while the workshop was determined to ensure that fleet operators were conversant with the transport sector.

"Today, about 13 registered fleet operators participated and were certified by the FRSC, including Elizade University, Ilara-Mokin; Federal Medical Centre, Owo; Greater Tomorrow Nursery/Primary and Secondary School, Ikare among others," Komolafe said.

Similarly, the Corps Transport Standardization Officer, Corps Commander Abiodun Akinlade, appreciated the fleet operators in Ondo State, saying it was high time for other operators to register their companies and organisations for safety and standardisation.

Akinlade, who was represented by Deputy Corps Commander Lucie Mhii, said road safety would continue to partner with all road users to reduce crashes to minimum.

One of the participants, Mr Tairu Olagunjoye, Safety Manager of Federal Medical Centre, Owo, lauded the FRSC and urged the command not to relent in organising workshops for safety managers and drivers in the state.

"We are pleased to be here for certification because training and retraining is very beneficial to the people. Human beings generally, are always forgetful.

"We will educate other colleagues who are not here today on the safe use of the road and defensive driving skills," Olagunjoye said.