The Anambra State House of Assembly has called on the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) to take proactive measure to checkmate the alleged recklessness of tipper drivers on the highways in the state.
The house made the call in its resolution on Tuesday, following a motion moved by Mr Onyebuchi Offor (Ekwusigo) under Matters of Urgent Public Importance.
Offor decried the alarming rate of road crashes in the state, allegedly resulting from the recklessness of heavy duty trucks.
He said that it was worrisome that Anambra had continued to record high rate of deaths and injuries from road accidents almost on a weekly basis, especially along Ozubulu-Atani Road in Ekwusigo Local Government Area.
He said: “These tipper drivers drive against the traffic, they do not obey traffic rules nor show enough respect to traffic officials on the road.
“Every week, series of accidents occur, especially along Ozobulu-Atani Road, due to reckless driving by tipper drivers.
“What is most heart-wrenching and horrifying is how the tipper drivers mercilessly run over their victims.
“I’m convinced that proactice actions by FRSC can check the recklessness of tipper drivers to avoid further mishaps on our roads.”
Contributing, Mr Lawrence Ezeudu (Dunukofia) said there was an urgent need to increase FRSC patrol teams on the highways to check the excesses of drivers and avoid unnecessary loss of lives and property.
“Visibility of FRSC officials on the roads is a good deterrent. It makes people to be afraid to commit traffic offences.
“It’s also a major strategy to checkmate the recklessness of motorists on the highways,” Ezeudu said.
The Speaker of the house, Mr Uche Okafor, said that reckless driving had caused many deaths and permanent disabilities.
“Whatever we can do as an institution to assist the government to reduce the rate of accidents on our roads is absolutely necessary.
“We, therefore, urge Gov. Willie Obiano to direct the Sector Commander of FRSC in Anambra, Mr Andrew Kumapayi, to checkmate reckless driving by tipper drivers on our highways,” Okafor said. (NAN)
