FRSC clarifies position on use of Google map

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has clarified it’s position on the use of Google Maps, saying that the Sector Commander, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Corps Commander Wobin Ayuba Gora was quoted out of context on the use of Google Maps app while driving.

Gora was quoted as saying at the inauguration of the 2019 Ember Months Campaign by Lugbe Unit Command of the FRSC in Abuja on Wednesday that driving with the aid of Google Maps using mobile phones was a serious traffic offence.

According to a statement by Corps Commander Bisi Kazeem, Corps Public Education Officer, following Gora’s comments, the Sector Commander was misquoted and his statement outrightly misrepresented.

Kazeem said the FRSC as a technology driven organisation is not and has never stood against the use of Google Maps by motorists.

“To state the obvious, we have always enlightened the public on the position of the law on the use of phone while driving which the Sector Commander tried to emphasize during the flag off.

“The statement he made during the flag off buttresses the position of the Corps, which is that any driver who intends to deploy the use of Google Maps while driving must have it set on the phone before embarking on the journey, not while the vehicle is already in motion as this could be dangerous to the driver and other road users, and can lead to road traffic crash.

“We say this because, available records have shown that use of phone for whatever purpose; be it text, voice calls, chats, browsing, setting google map to find location etc while driving could be distractive and can easily lead to loss of concentration. This has led to many road traffic crashes with attendant loss of lives and properties.

“On the strength of this, the Federal Road Safety Corps wishes to reiterate its position on the use of phone while driving as a dangerous and hazardous road traffic behaviour which has led to unwanted and avoidable road crashes.

“We therefore call on all motorists who intend to deploy the use of Google Maps on their phones, especially during the festive season when traffic density is high, to activate such before setting the vehicle in motion so as to ensure 100 per cent concentration on the wheels.

“Road safety is a State of mind, road traffic crash is absence of mind. Stay alert, stay alive! FRSC cares for your safety,” the statement read.