About 30% truck drivers in Nigeria have impaired vision – FRSC

About 30 percent of truck drivers in Nigeria have sight problems, Corps Marshal of Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, Boboye Oyeyemi has revealed. Sight problems could be as a result of macular degeneration, glaucoma, cataracts and refractive errors commonly identified with near and far sightedness.

Unfortunately, many of these drivers don’t want to use glasses because they believe that their employers will not be comfortable with them with medicated glasses for driving and as such their jobs are threatened, Oyeyemi said at the launch of End of year ‘Don’t  Drink and Drive’ Campaign by the Beer Sectoral Group of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, MAN in Lagos.

The corps Marshal also expressed worry on the rising incidence of driving under the influence of drugs than alcohol among the youth. “The issue of drug is destroying many youth” and this needs to be checked, he said.

On road accidents, he cited World Health Organisation  (WHO) and World Bank 2018 reports which estimated that about 1.35 million people were killed on the world’s roads annually and that 85% of these deaths occur in low and middle-income countries.

“These reports also revealed that these deaths would increase by as much as 80% by the 2020.  The alarming rate of road traffic fatality in Nigeria based on the available statistics from the Corps makes this revelation of increased fatality by 2020 worrisome”, he said.

He said alcohol consumption above the legal limit among drivers’ results in a significant increased risk of motor vehicle accidents.  He commended the Beer Sectoral Group for the campaign to create awareness about ‘Don’t drink and drive’ especially as world enters into festive period.

The group also presented a number of Breathalysers – equipment for measuring breath alcohol, to FRSC.  Oyeyemi said the Corps was on course to establish sobriety checkpoints to stop vehicles and test the alcohol content of the drivers.

Speaking at the event, the chairman of BSG, Jordi Borut Bel who is also the managing director of Nigerian Breweries Plc, said the objective of the campaign was to increase awareness about the dangers of drink driving while enhancing the capacity of FRSC to enforce existing laws and improving road safety with the country.

The core interventions by BSG in this campaign which will run from October 2019 to January 2020 will also include park rallies, training for FRSC personnel, communication jingles and adverts in various media platforms.