Global Road Safety Week: Gombe govt advocates more awareness to reduce crashes
The Gombe state Government has urged stakeholders in the transport sector to raise more awareness on safety as a way of reducing death and injuries associated with road traffic crashes.
Mannassah Jatau, the Deputy Governor of Gombe state who made the call on Saturday at the Gombe state Headquarters of Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) said the importance of road safety to humanity were numerous.
Jatau said it was based on the importance of safety that made the United Nations to dedicate a week once in two years to create awareness on safety while also enlightening people on the danger of over-speeding while on the road.
“In its wisdom, this year’s sixth edition of UN Global Road Safety Week is ‘ Street for Life’ implying that our roads and streets and even the means of transport should be for life to thrive and flourish accordingly.”
Jatau added that vehicles were not manufactured to kill but to transport people and goods, hence, charged all motorists to adhere strictly to traffic rules in the interest of the safety of everyone.
On his part, the FRSC’s Sector Commander in Gombe, Ishaku Ibrahim said excessive speeding was the major cause of road accidents in the state.
Ibrahim stated that as part of activities for the Sixth UN Global Road Safety Week, major stakeholders who had been assisting the command had been awarded and recognised for their roles in road safety in Gombe state.
“According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) more than 1.3 million people died in road traffic accidents yearly that’s one person dies every 24 seconds in such circumstance.”
He added that the recommended UN safe speed should be to drive 30 minutes per hour in towns and cities, hence charged the motoring population of the state to always be conscious and avoid over-speeding.
Our correspondent reports that awards and certificates of recognition were presented to critical stakeholders who had been supporting the corps in its efforts to reduce crashes and ensure safe road use.
