The Badagry-Seme Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), says it has commenced an exercise tagged: “Beyond the Road” to prevent accidents on the highways during the festive period.

The Unit Commander, Mr Fatai Bakare, made this known on Sunday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Badagry, Lagos State.

According to him, the FRSC management has realised that many accidents are caused beyond driving on the roads, but that crashes were already caused before the driver embarked on a journey.

“For example, a driver who is supposed to drive from Badagry to Kano the following day, drank for a whole day; the hangover will disturb him the following morning.”

“With this exercise, we will go to motor parks in Badagry and test drivers who are set for a journey. If we observe with our breathalyser that you are drunk, you will not drive that day.”

“Even, a driver with high blood pressure will not be allowed to drive; imagine somebody who will drive from Badagry to Abeokuta and his blood pressure level is 190/200.”

“He will not be allowed to embark on that journey, because this is accident in waiting issue,” Bakare said.

He said that the FRSC officers would go from one motor park to another with their paramedics personnel to also test drivers’ eye sights and their readiness to embark on a journey.

Bakare said the command had mapped out black spots and blind spots on Badagry roads and deployed officers to man them.

“Some of the black spots on Badagry-Seme Expressway are: Iya-Afin Junction, Mowo and Badagry Round about.

“Blind spot is an area that when driver looks back, he cannot see anything from the back. My officers will also be in those areas too. We are moving from one garage to another to ensure that we have an accident free Christmas and New Year holidays.”

“I have visited all Mosques, Churches, palaces, public places and markets in Badagry, all in an attempt to reduce crashes throughout the yuletide holidays,” he said.

Bakare said that he had divided the unit into three teams in order to effectively monitor the exercise.

“I will head the first team, the command Head of Operations is the leader of the second team, while the unit Head of Administration will lead the third team,” he said. (NAN)