FRSC, BATMedics Screen 500 Drivers to Mark World Sight Day
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), in collaboration with BATMedics, has screened about 500 drivers and motorists in Abuja as part of activities to commemorate the 2026 World Sight Day.
The National Driver Health and Road Safety Outreach Programme held at the Abuja Medical Store (ACMS) featured free comprehensive eye tests, professional assessments and medical guidance, with beneficiaries requiring further intervention expected to receive treatment and surgical support.
The initiative was designed to address visual impairment among motorists, which the Corps described as a critical human factor capable of turning a routine journey into a fatal tragedy.
Representing the Corps Marshal, Shehu Mohammed, the Assistant Corps Marshal in charge of Special Duties and External Relations, ACM Ibrahim M. Bazama, reaffirmed the Corps’ determination to move road safety from enforcement to prevention and human wellbeing.
“A mechanically sound vehicle can only be as safe as the person controlling it. Good vision is indispensable to safe driving.
“A driver must constantly identify road signs, pedestrians, traffic signals, vehicles, obstacles and changing road conditions, often within fractions of a second,” he said.
He described the outreach as more than a medical exercise.
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“This is not simply a medical exercise, but a critical road safety intervention. Every driver whose vision is examined, corrected or appropriately treated represents a significant step towards safer roads and the preservation of human lives,” he said.
Speaking for BATMedics, the Director General, Ojeje Onimisi, said improving access to healthcare for professional drivers remains central to road safety.
“It is important to improve access to essential healthcare for professional drivers and other road users. We remain committed to supporting interventions that improve the health, safety and productivity of Nigerians, particularly those whose daily responsibilities place them at the centre of the nation’s transportation system,” he said.
The FRSC said the collaboration reflects the growing importance of strategic partnerships between government institutions, private organisations, medical professionals and transport stakeholders in confronting road traffic safety challenges.
The Corps stressed that road safety begins long before a crash occurs and requires deliberate action to eliminate risk factors before they result in injury or death.
It urged motorists, particularly commercial drivers, not to ignore symptoms such as blurred vision, difficulty seeing at night or eye strain, warning that postponing medical attention could endanger not only the affected driver but also passengers, pedestrians and other road users.
The Corps Marshal commended BATMedics for the initiative and called on other organisations to emulate the partnership, adding that Nigeria needs more interventions that take essential health and safety services directly to the people who need them most.
