The Ogun State Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Commission has said that it will collaborate with the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Aro, Abeokuta, to ascertain the mental fitness of traffic law offenders on highways in the state.
FRSC Corps Marshal, Dr. Boboye Oyeyemi, had directed that the conduct of psychiatric tests for traffic law breakers should begin in states across the country from July 1, 2017.
The state’s Sector Command RS.2.2 Corps Commander, Clement Oladele, told our correspondent in an exclusive interview that the command would work with the psychiatric hospital in order to enforce the directive, which took effect on July 1.
“FRSC is collaborating with the psychiatric hospital in Ogun State on the issue of psychiatric tests. A lot of things have been put in place. We have writen to psychiatric hospitals around Ogun State. We have one at Aro and another one at Lantoro. Even the FMC, we are collaborating with them. We will put all necessary things together to ensure that the test commences on the 1st of July,” he said.
Oladele, who spoke through the Public Education Officer RS.2.2, Route, Commander Florence Okpe, at the command headquarters in Abeokuta, stressed that any erring offender tested would not only have his driver’s license seized, but would also foot his own medical bills at the psychiatric hospitals.
According to the FRSC commander, any driver who committed the five critical offences, which include using phone while driving, road violation, traffic law life violation, over speeding as well as dangerous driving, would undergo a retraining programme after being tested and ascertained that he was mentally fit.
“There is a punishable offence for any one that commits such offences and if confirmed that he is fit to drive on the road, he will still foot the bill at the same time, pay for the penalty of that offence; then his driver’s license will be seized from him for the period to ascertain the confirmation. Then he will now go for a retraining programme for that period and pay for the offence,” Oladele said.
He, therefore, warned motorists in the state to always obey traffic laws so as to reduce crashes on the highways.
