The introduction of the new commercial drivers’ licence will reduce accidents as only qualified and healthy people will be in charge of lives on the road, says an official of the Federal Road Safety Commission, Mr. Imoh Etuk.
Etuk, who is the Head of Osun Sector Command of the FRSC, stated this on Tuesday at the launching of the new commercial drivers’ licence scheme in Osogbo, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.
According to Etuk, the scheme is to evolve a better road culture and efficient data management.
“The procedure for obtaining the new commercial drivers’ licence such as completion of medical test like blood pressure, vision, hearing epilepsy, among others will go a long way in curbing road crashes.
“Many of our commercial drivers are with one or more of these defects and it has contributed to many crashes that claimed lives of innocent people,” he stated.
Etuk further stated that the scheme would enhance the integrity of the drivers’ licence, eliminate forgery through parallel and illegal production and provide a comprehensive database of licenced drivers.
Speaking on the occasion, the Osun State Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, Alhaji Isiaka Afolabi, lauded the initiative but described the procedure as cumbersome for his members.
Afolabi pledged that the union would embrace the scheme and appealed for the assistance of the FRSC and other stakeholders such as the Vehicle Inspection Officers, who would conduct driving test to determine competency and proficiency of his members.