Nigeria News: Speed Limiter: FRSC Arrest over 129,000 Offenders | Jeremy Spell Blog

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC said it
had arrested 129, 060 offenders for failure
to install the Speed Limiting Device (SLD) on
their vehicles and for speed limit violation in
the country.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports
that the FRSC began implementation of the
speed limiter policy on Feb. 1, 2017 to
address the issue of speeding blamed for
50 per cent of road accidents in the
country.
The Corps believes that controlling vehicle
speed would cut road accidents by 50 per
cent, in addition to reducing the impact of
crashes when they occur.
Mr Bisi Kazeem, the spokesman of the FRSC,
in an interview with the News Agency of
Nigeria (NAN), in Abuja, said that the arrests
for the various offences were made from
2016 till date.
“The figure for the combined offence of
failure to install Speed Limit Device and
speed limit violation as submitted above
from 2016 till date is 13,305 in Abuja, and
129,060 in Nigeria,” he said.
Kazeem noted that the enforcement of the
Speed Limiting Device began on Oct. 1,
2016 in Abuja and all other field Commands.
He explained, however, that it began with a
subtle enforcement before a full-fledged
enforcement commenced nationwide,
adding that the enforcement in Abuja
covered all routes plied by commercial
vehicles.
The spokesman said the purchase of the
device by vehicles owners was
encouraging, adding, however, that there
were still few complaints about the price.
“Commercial vehicles are purchasing the
device.”If you buy a car worth millions, I
think a gadget to safeguard it at less than
N25,000 should be affordable.
“However, a few, especially NURTW, still
complain about the price of the device
which is dictated by market forces of
demand and supply.
“The FRSC is not involved in the sales of the
device. However, efforts are ongoing to
ensure that the NURTW officials liaise with
local manufacturers for consignment for
members,” he said.
In terms of compliance, Kazeem said that
the Corps had yet to completely ensure that
all commercial vehicles installed the device,
adding that it might take a little while for
the Corps to look in the direction of private
vehicles.
“Data has shown that commercial vehicles
are more prone to crashes as a result of
speed violation.
“Due to poor supervision and central
control system by the management of fleet
operators, most of the drivers tamper with
the device.
“Sometimes they even disconnect the
device immediately they leave the terminal.
“Aside the fleet operators which the Corps
has successfully regulated, there are other
commercial vehicles which do not operate
from registered parks.
“It is a challenge ensuring that these sets of
commercial vehicles install the device.
“However, the Corps is doing its best
through its field operatives to clamp down
on these drivers,” he said.
He advised motorists to always patronise
certified vendors to calibrate the device,
adding that if not properly installed, it
would jerk the vehicle, which may affect the
gear box.
According to Kazeem, the benefits of
installing the device were enormous as it
aids crash reduction; reduction in economic
waste and reduces damage on the “road
furniture’’ and surface, as well.
He also said that the device reduces
fatalities and also brings down the rate of
overcrowding on health facilities by crash
victims.