The Lagos State Government says its Drivers’ Care Initiative is initiated to help curb the multiple rates of accidents that occurred on the roads in the state.
The Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Transport and Logistics, Mr Hassan Adekoya, said this at the Lekki Free Trade Zone parks, on Tuesday.
According to him, Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu approved this initiative to feature across the state to ensure care for drivers’ lives and property, and ensuring they are in proper shape before driving on the road.
“As a result of multiple rates of accidents that we experience daily in our states, this was initiated to curb them,” Adekoya said.
The General Manager, Lagos State Drivers Institute, Mrs Afusat Tiamiyu, noted that at the end of the programme, they expected to see a different kind of driving module in Lagos.
According to Tiamiyu, the state has well-informed drivers and they have been taught how to make good use of the roads.
“At the end of the programme, we are going to see Lagos drivers in different forms, their mindsets will have been changed, their attitudes on the road will now improve road safety,” she said.
In getting the 2,000 drivers for the free certified training, she noted that they already got 300 drivers on Monday and apart from today, would be moving to Obalende and then to Iyana-Iba.
“What we need to do is to let drivers know that our governor has given them this opportunity, they should come and leverage on it and get themselves trained.
“It is not about issuing laws, it’s about giving them information that will be beneficial to them to drive safely on Lagos roads,” she said.
Also, the National Union of Road Transport Workers Secretary, Mr Akeem Olaiya, appreciated the Lagos State Government for the initiative.
He added that, after the programme, they would step down the knowledge to members that could not attend, so they could understand the negative impact of taking drugs before embarking on journeys.
Mrs Titilope Ogunluyi, Assistant State Commander, Drug Demand Reduction, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Lagos State Command, noted that the mental health of drivers was very important before they embarked on any journey.
“While driving, they should be emotionally balanced, mentally and physically okay, so the issue of drug taking should be out completely.
“They should understand that the lives of people are in their hands and try as much as possible to obey rules of driving,” she said.
Ogunluyi urged drivers to always ensure that they ate properly, drank enough water and had sufficient rest.
The programme featured free eye tests and corrective glasses for 10,000 truck and commercial drivers.
There was also public sensitisation on the effect of substance abuse and testing, as well as a soft loan facility for truck owners to acquire 2,000 Compressed Natural Gas-powered trucks provided by the United Bank of Africa.
