By Chris Chimezie
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succour is on the way of victims of the October 3, 2018 multiple accidents on the ever-busy Onyearugbulem junction of the Akure-Owo-Ilesha highway.

Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu who disclosed this during the laying of wreath to commemorate the 2018 Road Crash Victims Day held at the Onyearugbulem junction called for a minute silence for victims of the crashes and enjoined major stakeholders and road users to join hands  to make road safer especially during yuletide periods.

The event titled: “Road Have Stories”, Akeredolu while commiserating with the family members of road crash victims, enjoined the FRSC to create a monument for accident victims to serve as caution for motorists.

He enjoined FRSC to keep up its good work and to ensure that they concentrate more on ways of making the roads safer for motorists rather than focusing on vehicles’ particulars.

Akeredolu said the nation has regrettably lost best brains that would have repositioned her economy and political structure to avoidable road accidents.

“A number of people that would have made this country greater have been lost to accidents. Movers and shakers of our society.

“In the process, their loss have affected in one way or the other, both the economic and political lives of our nation,” he said.

He commended the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Ondo State chapter, for its proactiveness at maintaining safety on the highways.

Earlier, Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Ondo State Command, Mr Rotimi Adeleye said event was the first of its kind in the state,  to commiserate with family members of those who lost their lives on the highways.

Adeleye who hinted that 20 lives had been lost on the ever-busy Akure-Owo Road, explained that while eight lives were lost in a crash at Ogbese on July 15, another eight lives perished along Celestial Church, by Agbogbo junction on January 21.

“It is sad, but we have no choice than to continue remembering them and to keep sensitising the living on how best to use the road”, he said.

While commending the Akeredolu-led administration for his efforts at ensuring that road crashes are reduced, he enjoined other stakeholders to assist the Corps with a view to making the road safer for motorists.

Speaking with The Hope, member representing Ondo Central Senatorial District at the National Assembly, Senator Tayo Alasoadura blamed road accidents on drug, drinking, indiscipline and lack of care.

“These are the major causes of road accidents. Anyone who is drugged or under the influence of alcohol is already a mad person and how can such a person perfectly control the wheel?

“The only way forward is for people to be disciplined, careful and obey rules and regulations guiding driving”, he said.

Also, a Board member of the FRSC representing South West in the Commission, Bashorun David Oyewole, said if the rules laid down by the Commission established 30 years ago were strictly adhered to, accidents would be reduced drastically.

“Most of our drivers are recalcitrant, they know what to do, but failed to do such. Some make phone calls while driving, while some are already in a state of insanity as a result of excess intake of alcohol and would be prone to accident”, he said.