The Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Dr Boboye Oyeyemi, says there will be no sacred cow in the proposed nationwide psychiatric test on traffic lawbreakers.
The exercise, scheduled to begin nationwide on July 1, will focus on life-threatening violations such as use of phone while driving, route violation, traffic light violation, dangerous driving and overloading.
Oyeyemi gave the assurance on the sidelines of a strategic session with Zonal Commanding Officers of the FRSC at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja on Friday.
He told newsmen that no offender, including official convoy drivers, would be spared, adding that the Corps would adopt a scientific approach in enforcement the policy.
He said, “I won’t pursue them on the highway. I’ll take their numbers and write to the head of that agency to direct that convoy driver to report.
“There are processes; I don’t need to pursue offenders because the database is there.
“Any ministry, department or agency involved, I will write to the head and tell them “that driver should please report’’.
“If he does not report, then I will get a court summon. It is as simple as that.
“You don’t need to fight anyone, you don’t need to pursue. That is the scientific approach and we move on.’’
However, Oyeyemi said that the exercise was “mental stability’’ check rather than “psychiatric examination’’ as being reported in the media.
He also noted that this was not the first time that the FRSC would be subjecting traffic offenders to such test.
“I am not talking about psychiatric test; I am talking about mental stability test.
“I am not a doctor but they told me that for you to go for psychiatric test, it means something is wrong completely.
“But now, I am saying that I am suspecting that something is wrong with you, then, go for a test.
“It is not a new thing we are doing. I just reactivated it. When you look at fines of N3, 000 or N5, 000, it does not serve as deterrent.
“Now, you are arrested, before you pay fines we confiscate your license, we give you a note to a designated government hospital, not private.
“They will examine you; if they say you are fit, then, come and pay your fine or you go to court. Then, you will do some hours of driver’s training and I release you. Next time you won’t try that again.”
The corps marshal said that there had been marked improvement in the behaviour of motorists across the nation since the announcement of the plan on Monday.
He expressed optimism that with the public support that the FRSC had been receiving since then, there would be greater improvement nationwide within the next 30 days.
