The Sabo branch of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Kaduna, has warned its members not to drive recklessly during the Yuletide season in order to avoid accidents.
Mr Ibrahim Ado, Union Secretary, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Kaduna.
According to Ado, during the Yuletide season, most drivers have a tendency to make money by taking more trips, which often leads to reckless driving and accidents.
“Greed is usually what causes people to speed, which leads to an increase in road accidents during this time.”
“We have held sensitization meetings with our members on a regular basis to regulate the number of trips, keeping in mind that there is usually an increase in vehicular movement during the Yuletide.”
“It is better to be alive than to be in a hurry to make money and end up losing your life and the lives of other innocent passengers,” Ado said.
He stated that the Union was working with other agencies such as the Kaduna State Traffic and Environmental Law Enforcement Agency (KASTELEA), the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), and the police to ensure road safety, particularly during the Yuletide season.
Ado also warned members to be cautious of security risks and to avoid picking up passengers on the highway.
“There have been cases where drivers have been kidnapped because they picked up passengers on the highway,” he explained.
He did, however, advise members of the public not to travel in private vehicles, but rather to go to designated motor parks and fill out passenger manifests before taking off.