By Uchenna Obiekezie
CALABAR (CONVERSEER) – The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) on Wednesday carried out a road safety sensitisation in Calabar, Cross River State, to promote safer driving habits and reduce the rising cases of road crashes.
The awareness walk which began at the Cross River State Command in Calabar, covered major routes including Marian Road, Etta Agbor, and Mary Slessor Avenue and back to the command.
The exercise was carried out by operatives of the Corps, road marshals, drivers, and volunteers with banners that read: “Take Responsibility for Your Safety, Avoid Distracted Driving.”
Speaking during the exercise, the Sector Commander, SC Innocent Etuk, who led the campaign, said the exercise aimed at reawakening public consciousness on the need for strict adherence to traffic regulations.
Etuk advised drivers who received calls while driving to pull over safely before using their phones to avoid distractions that could lead to crashes.
According to him, the exercise is not limited to Calabar but is also being carried out across states in the nation to encourage behavioural change and to promote safety awareness among all road users.
“As a driver, take responsibility for your safety on the road by avoiding distractions, maintaining speed limits, using seatbelts, and preventing passengers from diverting your attention,” he said.
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A commercial driver, Mr Emmanuel Kalu, who spoke to newsmen, praised the campaign, describing it as a vital effort to raise awareness about driving rules and regulations.
He noted that due to the condition of the roads in the city, drivers should maintain a speed limit of between 30 to 50 kilometres per hour in busy areas.
Similarly, Mr Chinedu Okeke, a driver in one of the parks at Etta Agbor commended the FRSC for taking the message to the streets rather than relying only on media announcements.
“This movement is timely, especially with the approaching festive season when accident rate usually increases due to reckless driving and overloading,” he maintained.
The Corps also used the opportunity to distribute flyers on safe usage of the roads to commercial drivers and residents who stopped by to listen to the safety messages.
