The Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps, Dauda Biu, has again warned truck drivers to desist from loading humans on top of goods in their trailers, noting that this action poses a danger to such humans and other road users.
A statement on Tuesday by FRSC spokesman, Jonas Agwu, said the corps marshal gave the warning against the backdrop of a road crash on the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway, which claimed 10 lives on Monday night.
The statement was titled ‘Corps Marshal Dauda Biu Condemns Use of Trailers to Convey Passengers, Steps Up Enforcement/Engagement Against Preventable Fatalities on Roads.’
According to Agwu, the Monday night crash involved a DAF trailer conveying 172 passengers.
He said, “The crash, which involved a DAF trailer occurred as a result of excessive speed, overloading and fatigue. This made the driver lose control of the wheels, thereby crashing into a ditch along the route.
“Report from the crash also revealed that it occurred at exactly 1030hrs and involved a total of 172 people all male adults. Unfortunately, 10 victims were killed while 48 victims were rescued with different degrees of injury.
“As at the time of filing in this statement, the FRSC rescue team had concluded evacuation of the injured victims to Saint Anthony and Umaru Musa Yar’Adua hospitals while the killed passengers were deposited at the morgue of the aforementioned hospitals as well.
“Efforts are still ongoing by FRSC operatives to follow up on the injured victims in the hospitals to ensure they receive necessary medical attention.”
Agwu said given the rising spate of bad road use behaviour, the Corps Marshal directed Commanding Officers to “commence with immediate effect, result-oriented patrol operations, as well as organise adequate mobile court operations along critical corridors.”
