By Onu Okorie

Federal Road Safety Corps FRSC Corps Marshal, Shehu Mohammed has called for a national consensus and practical commitments to eliminate unsafe loading practices across the country.
The Corps Marshal who made the call during the launching of national movement for Safe loading and safe roads yesterday in Abuja, warned that vehicle overloading and other unsafe loading practices pose serious threats to lives, road infrastructure and Nigeria’s transportation economy.
Speaking on the theme, “Ending Overloading, Saving Lives: A National Commitment to Safer Roads and Responsible Transportation in Nigeria,” Mohammed described overloading as more than a traffic offence, saying it had become a road safety, infrastructure, logistics and economic development challenge.
According to him, excessive loads compromise vehicle braking, steering and stability, accelerate vehicle deterioration, increase crash risks and contribute to the premature deterioration of roads.
He also identified mixed and improper loading as another major danger, stressing that the risk was determined not only by the weight of cargo but also by what was being carried, how different materials were combined, positioned and secured. The Corps Marshal warned against the inappropriate combination of passengers and cargo, incompatible or dangerous materials, and poorly secured or unevenly distributed loads, saying such practices exposed drivers, passengers and other road users to serious danger. Mohammed said the problem was particularly pronounced in the haulage and logistics sector, where the pressure to maximise every journey could encourage operators to engage in unsafe practices. He declared that no reduction in transportation costs or commercial gains could justify the loss of human lives, insisting that vehicles must carry only loads they were designed, licensed and safely configured to transport.
He noted that Nigeria’s economy depended heavily on the safe movement of agricultural produce, raw materials, manufactured goods, fuel and other essential commodities, stressing that road safety should not be regarded as an impediment to economic growth. “A safe transportation system is therefore not an impediment to economic development; it is a foundation for it,” he said. Mohammed further highlighted the economic consequences of overloading, noting that government bears the cost when overloaded vehicles damage roads, while operators bear the cost of vehicle damage and businesses and consumers suffer from delays in the movement of goods.
But, he added, when overloading results in a fatal crash, the ultimate burden is borne by families who lose loved ones. He therefore called for an end to what he described as the false choice between commercial efficiency and road safety. The FRSC boss said the Corps would continue to enforce the law firmly, fairly and professionally, but acknowledged that enforcement alone could not eliminate overloading. He called for shared responsibility across the transportation value chain, including cargo owners, shippers, loading agents, transporters, fleet operators, drivers, regulators and government.
He said cargo owners and shippers must accurately declare cargo weights and insist on safe loading, while operators must maintain their vehicles and comply with approved weight limits. Drivers, he added, must be prepared to reject unsafe, improperly mixed or inadequately secured loads. Mohammed also urged regulators to strengthen coordination, weighing infrastructure, axle-load management, data sharing and enforcement. He said the FRSC would intensify enforcement, public education, stakeholder engagement and intelligence-led operations, while expanding the use of technology and data to improve compliance.
The Corps, he said, was seeking to move from reactive enforcement to preventive road safety and coordinated national action. He said the newly launched National Movement for Safe Loading and Safe Roads must go b/ Ieyond the FRSC and become a nationwide initiative involving government, industry, transport operators, drivers, regulators, professional bodies, civil society, development partners and the media.