Public Enlightenment in FRSC Operations in Nigeria: Prospects and Challenges

Abstract

Public enlightenment is the function of the public education office of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Nigeria, which is one of the twelve critical and top management offices of the corps. Through the activities and programs of the public enlightenment as usually carried out by the corps; FRSC, the drivers particularly the commercial drivers, other motoring members of the public as well as the road users are sensitized, enlightened, educated and are made aware of the road safety measures and practices and how best to use the roads to avoid road traffic crashes and its attendant loss of lives and properties. Using various platforms, such as leaflets, handbills, fliers, seminars, workshops, driver’s improvement courses just to name but a few, the motorists and other members of the motoring public are constantly being educated on the dangers or menace of over speeding, over loading, drunk driving, one way driving, wrongful overtaking, driving under the influence of drugs and the likes. The drivers are also educated through these mediums on road traffic signs, signals and markings which are regulatory (mandatory or prohibitive), informative and warning in nature. Such information like the need to procure a genuine and valid driver’s license from a recognized road safety driving schools and the consequences of not having a driver’s license are equally taught using any of these fora. The essence of all these is to ensure a safe motoring environment and to mitigate or prevent road traffic-related crashes on the Nigerian roads. Using descriptive and historical methodology, the paper therefore explores the prospects of public enlightenment in FRSC operations in Nigeria as well as the challenges confronting the corps public education office in actualizing its mandate. Apart from the literature materials consulted, oral interviews were conducted to capture the theme of the study. The paper also highlights some measures that would address these observed challenges in a bid to create a safe motoring environment and reduce road traffic crashes/carnage in Nigeria.