The Oyo State Command of the?FRSC said that?905 persons were killed in road traffic accidents involving trucks in 2011.
The Sector Commander of the commission?the state, Mr Godwin Ogagaoghene,??stated this in Ibadan on Friday at?the?presentation of 500 helmets, 500 snooze alerts and 6,000 reflector tapes to truck drivers and motorcycle riders.
The items were jointly donated by the FRSC and the Arrive Alive Road Safety Initiative (AARSI), an NGO based in Oyo State.
He said that there were 62 cases of accidents, involving trucks in the state in the past?seven months, noting that the figure?showed?an increase in?crashes involving trucks.
“A crash involving these classes of vehicles usually involve large number of casualties, which is felt not only in number of lives lost but also in economic terms,’’ he said.
The FRSC boss?advised?the truck drivers to fix the reflective tapes given to them to make their vehicles visible at night to other road users.
He also advised other motorists?to always make use of the items?to reduce road traffic accidents
“These would reduce the chances of being run into. The “okada” riders should also ensure that they?always make use of their helmets, failure of which will attract fines,’’ Ogagaoghene said.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of AARSI, Mr Ike Okonkwo, said it was the collective responsibility of motorcyclists to reduce crash fatalities by making use of the helmets.
“Helmets don’t prevent accidents. Rather they reduce chances of head, brain or facial injuries in eventuality of any crash, so use them always,’’ Okonkwo said.
Mr Yinus Akintunde, the Oyo State Commissioner for Works and Transports, who represented Gov. Abiola Ajimobi advised drivers and riders to change their attitude towards road safety and disseminate same to others.
“The purpose of every safety device, be it helmet, reflectors or wake-up alerts are all to protect the users' life and other road users, so actualise the message,’’ Akintunde said.
The leaders of NUPENG, NURTW, Amalgamated Commercial Motorcycle Owners and Riders Association of Nigeria and the Road Transport Employers' Association of Nigeria?thanked the organisers for the donations.
They promised to make good use of the safety devices given to them.?(NAN)