4 Killed, 18 Injured As Lack Of U-Turn Endangers Lives Of Residents In Gwagwalada

..Over 80 Arrested For Traffic Violations—FRSC

A visit by THE WHISTLER correspondent to the Federal Road Safety Commission Gwagwalada, has revealed that a total of 22 residents of the area in the last 11 months have been involved in road crashes.

According to FRSC data, about four lives have been lost to road crashes within the community, while 18 got injured.

Similarly, 80 traffic offenders were arrested by law enforcement agencies.

Investigations by THE WHISTLER showed that driving against traffic is a major reason for the road crashes.

This Website observed that most commercial motorcycle operators and commercial drivers in Gwagwalada prefer to drive against traffic due to the absence of U-turn.

A trader in one of the bus-stops told our correspondent that most of the accidents were caused by violation of traffic rules.

The lady who gave her name as Ruth alleged that law enforcement agencies do not carry out their duties in preventing traffic violations but are always quick to make themselves available when an accident occurred.

She said, “We always experience accident here in Gwagwalada and these accidents are usually caused by motorcycle operators who prefer to drive against traffic.

“Most times, when these commercial motorcycle operators are driving against traffic and they face an oncoming vehicle, it becomes difficult for them to maneuver out of the situation and they end up being crushed with their passengers.”

But while commenting on the issue, an Assistant Corps Commander of the FRSC Gwagwalada Office, Olasupo Esuruoso, advised Nigerians to avoid situations that put their lives at risk on the road.

Esuruoso wh is the Unit Commander FRSC Gwagwalada, said, “Do whatever you can to be safe. Sometimes I say that death in Nigeria is very cheap and this is mostly caused by impatience, speed and stinginess, because most of the causes are avoidable.

“Imagine someone losing his life because of N50 or trying to use a shortcut by allowing a bike rider to take you on ‘one way’.

“Those who drive against the traffic do so because they want to avoid being held up in traffic, take a short cut, bypass a longer route or rushing to meet up an appointment, The violation of traffic law has no justification. No matter the reason, driving against traffic is a criminal offence.”

To reduce the incidence of driving against traffic and its attendant carnage associated with it, Esuruoso said that the Command had a meeting with the Road Transport Union Heads few days ago.

He said, “The major problem they pointed out is U-turn, they claimed that the points at which they make U-turn is far. We go with their Union Heads to arrest them diplomatically in other not to cause any accident and that is why we decided to have joint control with their different union heads.”

Esuruoso said that they don’t have the power to prosecute traffic offenders.

“We don’t have power to prosecution, our own is to rescue the injured ones, take them to hospital and continue follow up by checking the progress of their recovery until they are discharged,” he added.

On who pays the hospital bill when crashes happen, he said, “The ones that are injured pays their bills, but in a situation where an emergency is involved we pay for their medical card for treatment to commence.

“Most times when we take them to hospital, and they ask for deposit, we pay for the card so they can be attended to. Ours is for the hospital to give them prompt medical attention. They require early attention and if not given to them, little time wasted cause death.”

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