By Ibironke Ariyo
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has emphasised the importance of good vision among professional drivers, saying visual fitness is critical to preventing avoidable road traffic crashes.
The Corps Marshal, Malam Shehu Mohammed, stated this in Abuja at the national inauguration of the FRSC-BATMedics Free Medical Outreach for Vision Improvement Tests and Surgical Interventions.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the outreach themed “See Clearly, Drive Safely” was organised by FRSC in collaboration with BATMedics and Vision Savers Eye Care Centre.
Mohammed, represented by Ibrahim Mbazama, Assistant Corps Marshal (ACM), Special Duties and External Relations, said the initiative was designed to provide vision improvement tests and appropriate surgical interventions for Nigerians, particularly professional drivers.
He said the event served as a reminder that road safety was fundamentally about saving lives, noting that a simple vision test could lead to timely diagnosis, effective treatment and safer driving.
He also said the outreach was significant because it brought together healthcare and road safety, while coinciding with the global observance of World Sight Day.
“Road safety goes beyond enforcement, as it requires deliberate attention to human, vehicle and environmental factors that contribute to road traffic crashes,” he said.
Mohammed identified visual fitness as one of the critical human factors affecting safe driving, noting that good vision was essential for drivers to identify road signs, pedestrians, vehicles, traffic signals and other hazards in sufficient time to respond appropriately.
The Corps Marshal said impaired vision could compromise driving performance and increase the risk of crashes, stressing that the medical outreach was therefore not merely a healthcare programme but an important road safety intervention.
He explained that through the initiative, drivers experiencing visual challenges would have access to professional assessment and, where necessary, treatment or surgical intervention.
Mohammed expressed the FRSC’s satisfaction with its partnership with BATMedics, describing the collaboration as a demonstration of the importance of partnerships in advancing public health and road safety.
He commended BATMedics for committing its resources and expertise to the initiative and appreciated the management of Jabi Motor Park for providing a platform to reach professional drivers and other beneficiaries.
The Corps Marshal urged drivers to regard their health as an essential component of their profession and take full advantage of the opportunity provided by the outreach.
He also encouraged them to undergo the recommended medical examinations and comply with professional medical advice, stressing that taking care of their vision was also a way of protecting themselves and other road users.
“By caring for your vision, you are protecting yourself and all other road users,” he said.
Mohammed further noted that preventive interventions such as the outreach could help reduce avoidable crashes, injuries and loss of lives.
He said road safety was fundamentally about identifying and addressing risks before they resulted in tragedy, adding that the FRSC would continue to support initiatives promoting driver fitness, public enlightenment and preventive healthcare.
He also pledged the corps’ continued collaboration with relevant stakeholders in advancing interventions capable of improving road safety and protecting lives.
The Corps Marshal called on other organisations to emulate the initiative by supporting efforts to bring essential health services closer to people who keep the nation’s transportation system running.
He stressed the need for stakeholders to explore interventions addressing other health concerns that could affect the safe operation of vehicles.
In his remarks, the Director-General of BATMedics, Dr Ojeje Onimisi, urged transport workers, tricycle operators and commercial motorcyclists to prioritise regular eye examinations, saying good vision was essential to safe driving and the protection of road users.
Onimisi described transport workers, tricycle operators and commercial motorcyclists as important members of communities who carried significant responsibilities for public safety through their daily activities.
According to him, the theme of the outreach underscored the urgency of addressing vision challenges among road users whose occupations required them to operate vehicles.
“Impaired vision can endanger drivers, passengers, pedestrians and every road user,” he said.
Onimisi, therefore, urged beneficiaries to undergo proper eye examinations, understand their visual condition and act promptly on professional medical advice.
The BATMedics director-general said the organisation believed healthcare should be accessible, preventive and people-centred rather than being available only to a privileged few.
He said the outreach reflected the humanitarian vision of BATMedics’ Patron, Seyi Tinubu, as well as its commitment to youth wellbeing, practical intervention and inclusive healthcare.
Onimisi also acknowledged the administration of President Bola Tinubu for what he described as its efforts to reform the health sector and expand access to essential healthcare services.
He said initiatives such as the medical outreach supported that direction by taking preventive healthcare directly to communities and occupational groups that needed such services.
“Effective road safety requires more than enforcement. Prevention, public awareness and medically fit road users are equally important.
“Road safety requires more than enforcement; it demands prevention, awareness and medically fit road users,” he said.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Yakubu Uba
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