Onu Okorie

Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), in collaboration with BATMedics, has conducted comprehensive eye tests for about 500 drivers and motorists in Abuja as part of a National Driver Health and Road Safety Outreach Programme to mark the 2026 World Sight Day.

The initiative, held at the Abuja Medical Store (ACMS) beside Jabi Park, brought together road safety and public health interventions in an effort to address visual impairment among motorists, which the FRSC identified as a critical risk factor in road traffic crashes.

The beneficiaries received free medical screening, professional assessment and appropriate medical guidance, while eligible cases requiring further intervention are expected to receive subsequent treatment and surgical support.

Representing the Corps Marshal, FRSC, Shehu Mohammed, mni, FCA, FCTI, CPFA, the Assistant Corps Marshal in charge of Special Duties and External Relations, ACM Ibrahim M. Bazama, said the intervention underscored the Corps’ renewed emphasis on prevention, early intervention and driver wellbeing.

Bazama said the FRSC was working to move road safety beyond a predominantly enforcement-driven approach by placing greater emphasis on identifying and addressing risk factors before they result in crashes.

According to him, the condition of a vehicle alone does not guarantee road safety, as the ability of the driver to see clearly and respond appropriately is equally important.

The Corps Marshal noted that drivers must constantly identify road signs, pedestrians, traffic signals, vehicles, obstacles and changing road conditions, often within fractions of a second.

He described the eye-screening exercise as “not simply a medical exercise, but a critical road safety intervention,” adding that every driver whose vision is examined, corrected or appropriately treated represents a step towards safer roads and the preservation of lives.

Speaking on the partnership, the Director-General of BATMedics, Ojeje Onimisi, stressed the importance of improving access to essential healthcare for professional drivers and other road users.

Onimisi reaffirmed BATMedics’ commitment to supporting initiatives that promote the health, safety and productivity of Nigerians, particularly people whose daily responsibilities place them at the centre of the country’s transportation system.

The FRSC said the collaboration demonstrated the growing importance of partnerships among government agencies, private organisations, medical professionals, transport stakeholders and civil society in addressing road traffic safety challenges.

The Corps stressed that road safety begins long before a crash occurs, noting that effective prevention requires deliberate efforts to identify and eliminate risk factors before they result in injuries, fatalities or property damage.

It consequently urged motorists, especially commercial drivers, not to ignore blurred vision, difficulty seeing at night, eye strain or other visual challenges.

According to the Corps, delaying medical attention could put not only the affected driver at risk but also passengers, pedestrians and other road users.

The Corps Marshal commended BATMedics for supporting the outreach and called on other organisations with the capacity and goodwill to emulate the partnership by taking essential health and safety services closer to those who need them.

The FRSC said the initiative aligns with its mandate to promote safe road use through education, persuasion, subtle force and enforcement, reinforcing its broader philosophy that the most effective road traffic crash is one prevented before it occurs.