The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has relaxed its ban on night journeys for tankers during the yuletide period. The Corps Marshal, Boboye Oyeyemi disclosed this in Abuja on Monday.
He said the new policy was important to ensure adequate distribution of petroleum products during Christmas and new year celebrations.
“We are stepping down the night traveling directives for the Yuletide period,” the FRSC boss said.
He however, pointed out that those transporting petroleum products at night must adhere to minimum safety standards, including stopping at every four-hour intervals.
Oyeyemi noted that standby teams were already in place to respond to emergencies within the shortest time.
While stressing that the government was worried about the high rate of accidents involving tankers in the country, Oyeyemi lamented that most of the tankers plying the roads in the country were old.
“Most of these tankers are above 30 years and the safety valve in most of them is missing,” he said. “This makes it easy for the vehicle to go on fire whenever there’s an accident.”
He also pointed out that most of the tankers were carrying petroleum products far above the allowed quantity while some of them allow their untrained vehicle assistants to drive the vehicle.
Oyeyemi said the Corps was already packaging a two-month training program for tanker drivers in the country next year January as part of efforts to reduce road accidents.