Vehicle Inspection Office says the compulsory driving test for applicants of driving license is meant to improve driving proficiency, check accidents and road carnage.
The Chief Vehicle inspection Officer in Enugu State, Engr. Val Chime, told newsmen in Enugu on Wednesday that the agency would soon revoke driving license of fresh drivers not passing through VIO driving test.
Chime said that after going through a driving school; the next step is the compulsory driving test at the VIO office/facility to check for practical proficiency and class of vehicle budding drivers would drive.
According to him, it is the VIO officer after the driving test will decide the class A,B,C,D, E, F,G etc the fresh driver would get drivers’ license on.
He said, “The VIO driving test is mandatory to check people going through proxies and cutting corners while in driving schools.
“It will also ensure that unfit drivers and ungrounded drivers do not hit the roads and cause accidents, carnage and destruction of lives and property.
“The VIO will soon apprehend and revoke driving licenses of such fresh drivers who did pass through the VIO driving test or having driving license that are not their suppose class to ensure safety of lives.”
Chime said that the VIO and state transport ministry were in full support of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) stance to prosecute reckless drivers and those drivers whose negligence causes accidents.
He said, “The VIO have a weekly Mobile Traffic Court each Thursday that tries such offenders and also give those that feel that our officers have breached their rights opportunity to seek the court’s redress.
“Recently, Gov. Peter Mbah established a Special Automated Road Worthiness Inspection and Testing Centre in Emene, Enugu; where computerized systems automatically diagnose and come out with faults of a vehicle within minute.”
Chime lauded Gov. Mbah for massive investment in road infrastructure, adding that within two years, all roads especially those in the major metropolis of Enugu received attention.
“Now, we have a metropolis, where you hardly have a pot hole and this is good for the 200 CNG long buses to be introduced into the state after some weeks.
“The CNG buses, the bus terminals; the intra/inter rail line as well as the Enugu Air will defiantly be game-changers for the transport future of Enugu and will be copied by many other states.
“It is only possible with a visionary and technology-savvy governor like His Excellency, Dr Peter Mbah, who plans to fully automate operations of these amenities and have placed technology to protect them.”