FRSC Wants Fine For Using Phone While Driving Increased To N50,000

FRSC Wants Stiffer Punishment For Road Offenders

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), is seeking an increase in the fine attached to the use of phone while driving from its current amount to a minimum of N50, 000.

The Corps Marshal of the FRSC, Mr. Boboye Oyeyemi, who made the suggestion, said the action would serve as a deterrent to drivers who make use of their mobile phones while driving.

According to him, the paltry sum been paid currently is not sufficient punishment for defaulters, but a fine in the range of N50,000 to N100,000 would serve best as deterrence to defaulters.

“Already, there are efforts before the National Assembly to jerk up the fine payable for a phone user while on the wheels.

“What is currently obtainable cannot do the work, but when you have to pay N50,000 to N100,000 for using your phone while driving, then we will get somewhere.

The FRSC boss further lamented that no fewer than 74 FRSC officials were killed by reckless drivers in the last 18 months across the country.

Oyeyemi, warned that the commission would stop at nothing to bring killers of his personnel to justice.

“In the last 18 months, I have lost about 74 lives. We will not stop at ensuring the prosecution of those errant drivers. It is my responsibility to ensure the safety of my personnel on the highway; so, if you knock down my personnel and you are running away, I will go after you,” he said.

He further decried a situation where many drivers do not see well at night as well as lack of professionally trained drivers on Nigerian roads, adding that efforts were on-going to enforce the speed limiting device by making it more affordable.

“When drivers have vision problems, they should go to optometrists who will refer them to opthamologists to correct their poor sight. We are also talking to them on the need to have speed limit control on their vehicles. The price has come down to N15,000 so the noise about cost isn’t valid anymore.”