The Senate on Tuesday called for enforcement of age limit in the acquisition of driver’s licence to check reckless driving.
The Red Chamber also called for mandatory short term courses for prospective drivers across the country.
It mandated the Committee on Transport to summon stakeholders on road safety matters to ensure that drivers possessed necessary qualification in addition to being able to read, write and communicate effectively in English Language.
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This followed the adoption of a motion by Senator Umaru Kurfi at plenary.
Presenting the motion entitled: “Need to address the low level of literacy among drivers in Nigeria”, Kurfi decried high level of illiteracy among drivers in the country.
He said that a good number of drivers employed to drive either in public or private sector in Nigeria did not possess necessary qualification to make them employable.
He said it was worrisome that some of the drivers did not possess even the basic skill of reading and writing, adding that it was a serious challenge.
Kurfi said: “The alarming rate of road accidents can be attributed largely to the recklessness and low level of literacy among drivers.
“The drivers have little or no knowledge of semiotic signs that guide the use of roads.
“It is even a challenge to identify the various particulars assigned to their vehicles and this has given rise to forgery and fake documentation of car particulars.
“The high rate of road accidents caused by motorcycles popularly known as “okada’’ is not news any longer.
“The use of okada has become such a menace that some cities in the country had to ban it.
“It is appalling to note that okada riders on close scrutiny, are children, some less than 18 years and with very little or no education on navigation and understanding of road signs and their applications.”
The lawmaker advised employers to carry out due diligence when employing drivers.
He noted that the thoroughness and details applied in assessing applicants for employment for high level offices was usually absent when considering drivers for employment.
Most lawmakers in their contributions, called for prosecution of drivers whose reckless driving resulted in injury or loss of lives to other road users.
In his remarks, President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, referred the matter to the Committee on Land Transport for further action.
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