According to the Corps Marshall of the commission, Mr Osita Chidoka, the new license has security features, intelligence camera and biometrics that will mandate a medical certification for all commercial drivers before issuance.
He noted that the new license will be issued to commercial drivers after verified medical certificates on hearing and eyesight.
Hypertension and blood sugar level among other requirements.
Statistics
reeled out by the Corps Marshall showed that up to 40 per cent of road
accidents between 2007 and 2010 across the country resulted to almost
13,000 deaths involving commercial drivers.
This is the reason
for the launch of the new commercial drivers’ license that will require
all commercial drivers to present their medical verification before
being issued the new license.
Also to be mandated for commercial
drivers is a compulsory standard driving school check and a yearly
retraining programme to be handled by the drivers’ unions.
The
issuance of new drivers’ licenses will commence immediately as stated by
the FRSC, while all old licenses will be phased out by September 2013.
This
new developments was welcomed by key players in the transport sector
such as president, National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW)
Alhaji Najeem Yasin and the Special Assistant to the Minister of
Transport, Dikko Bala.
The Corps Marshall said other categories of licenses will also be released shortly.
It
is believed that when fully in use, the new license will build a good
data base of drivers and vehicles and help curb the high rate of
accidents involving commercial vehicles in the country.
No comments:
Post a Comment