Femi Oyelola,
The Corps Marshal / Chief Executive Offcer, CEO, of the Kaduna State Traffic Law Enforcement Authority (KASTLEA), Major Garba Musa Rimi (Rtd) has urged motorists to uphold the tenets of road safety by obeying traffic rules , regulations and ensuring their vehicles are fit on the road to prevent avoidable traffic deaths and injuries.
He made the call in a paper he presented at a Public lectures Organised by the Automotive and Locomotive Engineers Institute (AUTOEI) in kaduna.
Speaking on the theme “Road Worthiness of Vehicles as veritable means for mitigating Road Traffic in kaduna state” the KASTLEA CEO said vehicles road Worthiness is a measure of fitness of a vehicle to be allowed to use the road.
According to him Road worthiness of a vehicle is vital because the vehicle being a combination of different system of different functions working together are liable to unexpected and impromptu malfunctions.
Major Rimi said his agency is working round the clock to ensure that vehicles plying kaduna roads meet the standard, saying testing center will be operational in the three Senatorial zone of the state soon.
He enjoined motorists to ensure adequate maintenance of vehicles and giving consideration to other road users.
In his own remarks, the National Vice Chairman of Automotive and Locomotive Engineers Institute (AUTOEI) Engr Osaze Omorogbe said the WHO report shows that road crashes represent a leading cause of death and injury around the world, killing more than 1.35 million and injuring over 50 million people a year, hence the need for the lecture.
He noted that 90 per cent of those casualties occurring in developing countries.
Similarly, kaduna State Chairman of the Automotive and Locomotive Engineers Institute (AUTOEI) Engr Mobolaji Olajide
said that road traffic crashes remained the leading cause of death around the world for children and young people between 15 and 29 years of age and most of it can be traced to the roads worthiness of the vehicles.
He said Kaduna Chapter of the Society decided to hold the public lecture as a way of enlighten the general public or the Road worthiness of vehicles.
Traffic Deaths and injuries are preventable and avoidable if motorists will ensure the Road worthiness of their vehicles.
” we appeal to the conscience of all participants present at this lecture to critically include road safety consciousness in their daily living.
”Making our roads safe is a collective responsibility for all of us.
”Let us, like the theme of the lecture, ‘“Road Worthiness of Vehicles as veritable means for mitigating Road Traffic in kaduna state” to Support’ government and all other efforts at addressing the issue of road safety,” he said