Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, has identified black spots on the nation’s highways and deployed men to such areas to prevent crashes during the Yuletide.

Corps Marshal, Boboye Oyeyemi made this known in Lagos on Friday during the annual Lagos State Command Special Marshal Sectoral Workshop, tagged: “Road Safety Is Not A Privilege But a Right’’.

Oyeyemi, who spoke through Head of Policy, Research and Statistics, Kayode Olagunju said the corps was working tirelessly to prevent crashes during the festive period.

“We have identified various black spots on all our roads across the country; not only on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, and we are deploying quite a number of personnel to various spots to prevent crashes.

“However, safety on the roads must be everybody’s concern. It is a collective responsibility to ensure safety while driving on the roads,” he said.

According to him, everybody must contribute his or her own quota to ensure sanity on the roads at all times.

In a remark, Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa commended the FRSC and Special Marshals for their efforts in ensuring safe driving on the roads.

Obasa appealed to motorists to avoid drinking while driving during and after the Yuletide.

FRSC Zonal Commanding Officer in charge of both Ogun and Lagos States, Shehu Zaki said the goal of the command was to develop a zonal strategic framework for safety on the roads.

Zaki said there would be increased demand for Special Marshals, especially in traffic control at locations notorious for crashes and traffic congestion.

“Road safety is a right; but it is a collective and collaborative responsibility of government and citizens to deliver the much-needed safety culture.

“The Special Marshal scheme has over the years contributed immensely to the growth and development of road safety in Nigeria through the various intervention efforts, making them the most reliable stakeholders resources, ‘’ he said.

FRSC Lagos State Sector Commander, Hyginus Omeje said the activities of Special Marshals in the state in terms of safety had continued to soar on all fronts.

According to him, the entire Special Marshals in Lagos State have spent about N1.67 million on donations and projects within the last 18 months.

“It is all about tenacity, dedication, sheer determination and commitment to selfless service without expecting rewards.

“Nonetheless, I am quite convinced that better days lie ahead for the Special Marshals in Lagos if you all continue in this stead of good works that have since commenced, ‘’ he said.

Zonal Coordinator, Special Marshal in charge of both Ogun and Lagos States, Toyin Kadiku said the annual workshop was meant to equip members toward ensuring that the public imbibed appropriate road use culture.

According to him, the need to sensitise the public on the causes and the effects of road crashes remains the duty of the Special Marshals.

Kadiku said road crashes killed more people than the dreaded HIV/AIDS, especially in low income countries.

The zonal coordinator said the zone had established Special Intervention Programme (SIP) along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, geared toward reducing crashes within the corridor.