The Federal Road Safety Corps(FRSC) have advised motorists to reduce their speed limit from over 120 kilometers to 40 and 60 kilometers to save lives and properties of road users.

The Sector Commander, Rivers, Inyang Umoh, gave the advice on Thursday in an interview in Port Harcourt.

Umoh said that the sector had done a lot on public enlightenment programmes discovering that most road users don’t appreciate and understand what they need to do to safeguard themselves, their properties and that of other motorists.

“We have up our game when it comes to public enlightenment on radio, print media, Television and also on stakeholders relationship.

“The message on safety is everybody’s responsibility, this is why we collaborate with other sister agencies to ensure safety on our roads,”he said.

The Commander noted that in statistics, road traffic crash activities takes more lives than every other economic activities in the country.

He urged the public to appreciate the issue of road safety to reduce the rate of death tolls on the roads.

Umoh said that the action and inaction of road users contributes to the high rate of road accidents nation wide.

The Commander stated that the vision of the Agency was to ensure a safe motor environment to achieve zero death on the roads if there be a crash.

According to Umoh, If there is a crash, we are so concerned that the crash will not result to road traffic death, this is why we preach reduction of speed while driving.

“If the motorists maintain a minimum speed limit of what we call common sense speed limit depending on the environment he finds himself, if there is a break failure or any emergency, it will be able to be controlled, or if there is a crash, the impact will be minimal without loss of lives.

“When you are going to  build up areas like markets or streets your speed limits should not be more than 40 to 6o speed limits,”the Commander said.

He urged the public to be cautious whether a pedestrian, a driver, or a passenger.

Umoh also advised passengers to speak up against dangerous driving because crashes kills more passengers than drivers.

“We encourage passengers to speak up whether in a tricycle or in a vehicle and the driver is driving reckless.

“The theme of the last ember month campaign we had was about passengers, it says “speak up against dangerous driving, crashes kills more passengers than drivers” this statement is a traceable truth.

“In a vehicle that has 18 passengers only one survival may escape which is the driver, if there is a crash,”he explained.

The commander stated that the Agency recorded Limited number of crashes and few fatalities during the yuletide period due to campaigns and sensitisation carried out against reckless driving.

According to him, the road that people apply does not understand language, or recklessness, but if people observe road safety rules they will drive from point A to B without crash.

“My message to the public as we are into the new year, let’s be safety conscious, don’t struggle with anybody on the road, allow any driver that don’t want you to go, if you can lose 10 minutes to save your life, you lose nothing,”he said.(NAN)