HARMATTAN HAZE: FRSC HARPS ON SAFETY CONSCIOUSNESS

With attendant adverse weather condition associated with the early part of the  new year, the Federal Road Safety Corps wishes to advise motorists to be conscious of the foggy weather condition, early morning and late evening mist which is usually associated with the harmattan season.

This weather condition, according to the Corps, usually occurs when the temperature drops to the dew point of saturated air which condenses to reduce visibility drastically and cut down  the vision of a driver to 400 metres or less thus creating hazardous driving conditions which reduces atmospheric visibility.

Worthy of note is  the harmattan season which is synonymous with dry and dusty wind and blows south from the Sahara across the country between the end of November and March thus impairing vision while driving in the early and late hours of the day.

It is also instructive to note that in severe conditions, dust haze could blot out road markings, signage and other road furniture over wider areas, making driving an extreme difficult exercise.

Consequently, motorists are strictly warned to drive with lights on low beam in view of reflections from high beams which heighten poor visibility of drivers.

In view of prevailing climatic conditions, motorists are further reminded of the need to embark on daily routine check of their vehicles before entering the road. Aside from the wipers, brakes, non-defective windscreen and functional lights, it is also imperative to check radiators for water, defrosters and use coolant to keep the vehicle engine within normal range.

On tyres, road users should note that the higher a vehicle accelerates, the higher the temperature of such  vehicle which directly affects the tyres hence the need for distance travellers to avoid over inflated and under inflated tyres. Tokumbo and worn-out tyres are potential catalysts for road crashes.

As the Federal Road Safety Corps intensifies its sustained safety awareness campaign towards hitch-free trips for the new year celebration across the country, road users are strictly warned to avoid road vices such as overloading, under-age driving, drunk driving, speed violation, driving with mobile phone, non-use of seat belt and night trips in order to ensure sanity on the highways.