Edith CHUKU
Dismayed by the auto crash that claimed the lives of four passengers, with seven others hospitalized after sustaining severe injuries, the Unit Commander of Federal Road Safety Special Marshal, Mr Edwin Daniel Umoren, has proffered solutions to avert incessant road accidents.
The fatal accident, which involved a Truck conveying goods to Umuahia on Saturday, happened at Amorji Community, Isiala Ngwa North LGA of Abia State along the Enugu-Port Harcourt expressway.
While some claimed that the accident was caused by brake failure, they were those who were of the opinion that it may have been caused by poor visibility on the part of the driver.
The incident was confirmed by the Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, Abia State command, Ngozi Ezeoma, who noted that the accident involved eleven male passengers and one female.
Ezeoma revealed that four of the dead victims were male, while eight other passengers; seven male and one female, were injured and are receiving treatment in the hospital.
Describing it as disheartening, Umoren blamed incessant road accidents on the deplorable condition of roads, drivers carelessness, passengers carefree attitude when drivers are over-speeding, vehicle condition, and some other factors.
He made emphasises on the need for government and park managers to place a band on the sale of alcohol in motor parks.
According to him, “some many factors are responsible for road accidents that lead that fatality. One, is driver’s carelessness. Another carelessness is on the side of the commuters because if you are in a vehicle and you saw that your driver is over-speeding or he is driving carelessness, you have to immediately call him to order, ask him to slow down, don’t close your mouth, caution him, demand that he goes gentle assuring him that you people will get to where you are going to, don’t keep quiet, don’t make a joke from it, it’s your life that is at risk.
“Passengers should learn to caution their driver, there is nothing to be ashamed about, that little slow down you tell the driver can save lives.
“Two, bad road. Another thing is, what is the driver taking? Some drivers take some of these alcohol, now they are selling it in sachet at every motor park, and that is what we use to check sometimes when we get to motor parks. We caution them that it is not good, because some drivers before they move, they will enter and take one sachet.”
Umoren also mentioned the condition of the vehicle as another factor that can lead to fatal accident.
“The maintainable condition of the vehicle is another thing. How is the brake system? So many factors are put into consideration when accidents occur and as I’m talking to you, it can be minimized if all of us put our heads together to stop it.”
