By Our Reporter
The Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, Nasarawa State Command, today, embarked on free medical checks and safety sensitisation on commercial drivers at Central Motor Park, Lafia.
Our correspondent gathered that the exercise was in line with the corps’ duty to enlighten drivers on the importance of being physically and mentally stable. The event attracted many drivers and passengers. It was conducted by the corps’ public enlightenment campaign wing in collaboration with the FRSC RTC Clinic, Lafia.
The Sector Public Enlightenment Officer of the command, RC John Nwankwo, said the event was also strategically packaged to celebrate this year’s Eid el-Kabir.
According to him, “The objective is to enlighten drivers on the importance of being medically fit and health-conscious before embarking on any trip. The outreach was successful as drivers and passengers were better informed about the benefits of medical fitness.”
Nwankwo said some benefits of the exercise included reduction in road mishaps as medically fit drivers are less likely to suffer from health issues that could impair their driving abilities. He further said that healthy drivers would likely respond quickly to potential hazards while driving.
In his words, “Regular medical checkups help in identifying and managing conditions that could lead to fatigue. It encourages drivers to be more conscious of their health, as well as early detection of health issues, allowing for timely intervention and treatment, which can prevent serious health problems that might impair driving.”
He said the exercise would be regular to make the drivers imbibe the culture of regular medical checkups, and consulting health experts in times of need.
A driver, popularly called Mallam, thanked the corps for the sensitisation and free tests, adding that, “Such initiatives bring about trust and strengthen collaboration between the corps and the transport community.”
Another driver, named Yunusa, charged the corps and other stakeholders to extend the campaign to other motor parks across the state.
He said, “We learnt a lot today. I want the exercise to be more regular. It should also be extended to our various parks because all road users face the same danger daily.”
The state Sector Commander, CC Lucie Samuel Mhii, had weekend stated that over 1,350 personnel, including special marshals of the Federal Road Safety Corps, had been deployed to ensure hitch-free Eid-el-kabir celebration across Nasarawa State.