Emma Arubi
13 September, 2011, Sweetcrude, WARRI- FOLLOWING persistent road accidents involving heavy truck drivers in the country, Chevron Nigerian Limited (CNL) in collaboration with the Delta State Command of the Federal Road Safety Corp (FRSC) has embarked on truck safety campaign with the distribution of automatic “wake-up” device which alert a sleeping driver while driving.
The truck safety campaign which kicked-off at the Pipelines and Product marketing Company, PPMC, a subsidiary of NNPC premises in Warri revealed that the device code-named “wake-up”, when fixed on the ears, could automatically beep or vibrate depending on the drivers preference whenever a driver on steering nods his head.
Chevron and FRSC also distributed “Retro Reflective Tapes” to the truck drivers as part of their contribution to ensure accident free driving by the heavy duty vehicle, especially during this ember months.
The programme was promoted by “Arrive Alive Road Safety Initiative” and supported by Star Deepwater Petroleum Limited, a Chevron Nigerian Limited (CNL) company and operator of the Agbami field with its partners.
Acting Sector Commander of FRSC in the State, Commander (Mrs) Patricia Emeordi who performed the exercise said that the campaign was borne out of devastating effect of crashes on stationery vehicles that were either broken down or abandoned and the need to sensitized truck drivers on the use of the retro reflective tapes that could prevent death resulting stationery trucks.
The FRSC boss said the reinforcement of the retro-reflective tapes was in compliance with the National Road Traffic Regulation (NRTR) 2004, section 56 (P) which expressly states that all commercial vehicles other than taxis shall have two reflective red stickers fitted to the extreme ends at the rear of the vehicle.
She stressed however that it was proper that the reflective tapes should be used by all categories of vehicles and indeed trucks adding “we need the tapes because they do not only make the vehicles visible at night; they equally show the size of the vehicle when properly placed even as they are not electronically controlled. Ideally these tapes should be placed on both sides of the vehicles to illuminate such vehicles when turning”.
Speaking at the event, CNL’s General Manager, Policy, Government and Public Affairs, Femi Odumabo, who was represented by Phillip Gbasin, Senior Community Engagement Representative said that the oil firm decided to embark on the safety campaign in collaboration with FRSC with a view to stemming alarming cases of road accidents on the nation’s highway.
“The campaign focuses on talks on safe driving, enlightenment campaigns and fixing of retro-reflective tapes on trucks adding that the programme was tailored to reinforce the value of safe driving and compliance with traffic regulations.
