Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra state has asked drivers to stop blaming old people in the village for road crashes, particularly during the ember months.

He urged them to take responsibility for their vehicles by ensuring they were in good condition before hitting the road to avert crashes.

Soludo spoke on Thursday, October 5, in Onitsha through Commissioner for Transport, Patricia Igwebuike while flagging off Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Ember Months Safety Campaign themed, “Speed thrills but kills, drive responsibly and avoid overloading”

He regretted that most road crashes were man-made and could have been averted if proper care had been taken.

He said: “Statistics around the world show that 90% of crashes are based on human error. This includes intake of substances, and not being in the right mental state, among others.

“Everyone should be safety conscious. I advise those travelling with public transport to ensure they examine the state of both the driver and the vehicle before boarding.

“The ability to save your lives is in your hands. While the government has a lot to do, there are those you can do for yourself. When things are taken care of, chances of naming one old man or woman in your village as responsible will be minimized.”

Soludo further warned young parents to desist from carrying their underage children in the front seats of their vehicles while driving, describing such acts as dangerous and not a demonstration of love for the child.

He said: “I advise private drivers, especially young parents that insist their children must sit in the front seat of their vehicles to desist from such acts.

“Some fathers, in their ability to show love to their children, go to the extent of carrying them on their laps to drive. This is very dangerous both to you and the baby.

“The best way to show such love to the child is to keep him on the back seat and inside a baby seater. No matter how the child cries, it’s better he cries and be alive than to show such love and regret forever.”

Earlier, FRSC Sector Commander, Adeoye Irelewuyi described the campaign as apt and inclusive, saying it would cover the “3” RTC main causative factors of speeding, overloading, and use of unsafe tyres.

He thanked the governor for embarking on fixing roads in nooks and crannies of the state, just as he appreciated Special Marshals and other critical stakeholders in traffic management in ensuring safer road use and better road culture in the state.

He added: “The Sector Command is requesting the cooperation of Ndi Anambra to key into this strategic programme of the Corps in these Ember Months and every other period of the year to reduce the rate of fatalities on our roads.” (The Nation)

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