The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has said it does not issue licenses to underage drivers below 18 years old.
Mr Samuel Ibitoye, the FRSC Sector Commander in Ondo State, made this known on Monday in Akure, describing underage drivers as impostors driving without permit.
Ibitoye said that underage drivers were not psychologically and emotionally stable to be behind the wheel, stressing that vehicles driven by anyone below 18 years old would be impounded.
According to the sector commander, driving by anyone who is underage could result in an autocrash leading to death or serious injuries to other road users.
He said that the command had carried out a lot of advocacy to educate and sensitize parents and vehicle owners, especially articulated vehicle owners, of the risk of having underage persons behind the wheels.
“Before you can drive, you are supposed to be above 18 years old, and to get a driver’s license, you must be sound medically and have knowledge of highway traffic signs.
“There is no place you can get such a thing (a driver’s license) from underage persons.
“So, if you see an underage person behind the wheel, you will know that such is not licensed to drive,” Ibitoye said.
He, therefore, called on truck owners to put the interest of road users first by engaging mature and licensed drivers and shun cheap labor, which could cause havoc on Nigerian roads.
“My advice to vehicle owners is that they should not engage in illegality and shun child labor by going for matured persons who have acquired presiqusite training and are licensed to drive,” the sector commander said.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Ondo State, Comrade Ademola Odudu, said that none of his members in the state were under 18 years.
Odudu said that though that might be the case in some states, the reverse was in Ondo State, stressing “underage drivers are rarely seen in the state.
“So, it is only the concerned authorities that can actually know if one is underage or not, and they should take appropriate actions according to the laws by dealing with underage driving so that road users can be safe,” he said.
Also, a resident, Mr Seun Oribamise, told NAN that it was highly irresponsible to put an underage driver behind the wheel.
He said that such action would be putting the lives of everyone on the road at risk. (NAN)
