UniAbuja students, FRSC partner to promote road safety among keke riders

By Chukwudi Divine

The Department of Development and Strategic Communication, Faculty of Communication and Media Studies, University of Abuja, in collaboration with the Students’ Union Government (SUG) and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), has concluded a two day “Safe Ride, Safe Life” Campaign aimed at promoting safer transportation practices among commercial tricycle (Keke) riders operating within and around the university community.

The campaign, which combined a campus wide awareness walk with a public lecture and interactive engagement session, sought to educate riders and members of the university community on responsible road use, compliance with traffic regulations, and the collective responsibility of ensuring safety on the roads.

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The initiative formed part of the practical component and continuous assessment for UA DCS 108: Development Communication Campaign, enabling 100 Level students to apply development communication principles in addressing a real community challenge through advocacy, education, and stakeholder engagement.

The campaign commenced with a road walk during which students traversed major roads, faculties, administrative buildings, and strategic locations across the university. Equipped with flyers, road safety stickers, placards bearing safety messages, and a public address system, the students sensitized commercial tricycle operators, students, lecturers, staff, and visitors on the importance of safe driving while mobilizing participation for the public lecture.

The public lecture commenced with Islamic and Christian prayers, followed by the introduction of guests. In his welcome address, the Students’ Union Government Welfare Director, Atiku Abubakar, welcomed participants and commended the collaboration between students, the university, and the Federal Road Safety Corps in promoting safer transportation within the campus.

The Students’ Union Government Director of Transport, Umar Shehu Aliyu, explained that the campaign was conceived to improve safety awareness among commercial tricycle operators and encourage behavioural change capable of reducing road crashes within the university environment.

Addressing participants, the Course Lecturer for UA DCS 108, Mr. Auwal Sani, described the campaign as a practical demonstration of development communication in action.

“Development communication is most meaningful when it moves beyond theory to solve real societal problems. Through this campaign, our students have demonstrated that communication is not only about disseminating information but also about inspiring behavioural change, building partnerships, and improving community well being. Today’s engagement reflects our commitment to producing graduates who can use communication strategically to address development challenges.”

Mr. Sani also appreciated the commercial tricycle riders for their daily contribution to campus mobility and encouraged them to continue prioritizing passengers’ safety despite operational pressures.

A representative of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Mr. Samaila Tabak, urged the riders to comply strictly with traffic regulations and recognize that road safety is a shared responsibility.

According to him, commercial tricycles require greater caution because their three wheel design makes them less stable than conventional vehicles, particularly when driven at excessive speeds.

He reminded the riders that the approved speed limit within the University of Abuja is 25 kilometres per hour, as indicated on the road sign at the university gate, stressing that adherence to the speed limit would significantly reduce the risk of accidents involving students, staff, and visitors.

“No passenger’s urgency is worth risking lives. Your first responsibility as a rider is to ensure that every passenger arrives safely. Obey speed limits, avoid overloading, and always drive defensively.”

The FRSC officers further educated participants on traffic signs, defensive driving techniques, vehicle maintenance, and the dangers associated with speeding, reckless driving, and overloading.

The programme also featured an interactive question and answer session during which commercial tricycle operators openly discussed challenges affecting their operations. The riders identified the poor condition of the road leading to the Faculty of Communication and Media Studies as one of the major obstacles to efficient transportation, noting that the deteriorating road damages their tricycles, slows movement, and increases maintenance costs.

The riders further disclosed that some students often pressure them to exceed the approved speed limit whenever they are running late for lectures or examinations. They appealed to students to leave for classes early and avoid encouraging unsafe driving practices that could endanger lives.

One of the participating riders expressed appreciation for the initiative, describing it as timely and impactful.

“This programme has reminded us that every trip carries a responsibility. We now better understand the importance of obeying speed limits, avoiding overloading, and ensuring that passengers are safely seated before moving. We appreciate the students, the lecturers, and the FRSC for bringing this message directly to us.”

Throughout the campaign, students distributed educational flyers and road safety stickers carrying the campaign theme, “Safe Ride, Safe Life,” while engaging riders in one on one discussions on responsible road use and accident prevention.

The programme concluded with refreshments and a closing remark, reinforcing the need for sustained collaboration among the University of Abuja, the Students’ Union Government, the Federal Road Safety Corps, commercial tricycle operators, and students to build a safer transportation culture within the university community.

Beyond serving as an academic exercise, the Safe Ride Campaign demonstrated how development communication can be effectively deployed to influence behaviour, strengthen stakeholder participation, and develop practical solutions to community challenges. Organizers expressed optimism that the initiative would contribute to safer roads and a stronger culture of responsible transportation within and beyond the university.