Lagos - The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) on Wednesday said that commercial driver’s licences would no longer be issued to aapplicants below the age of 25 years.

Mr Nseobong Akpabio, Lagos State Sector Commander, FRSC, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

Akpabio said that the step was to get rid of underage drivers and sanitise the profession.

“An underage commercial driver has no commitment and may see driving as one of those jobs that could be toyed with.

“Many road crashes, especially with articulated vehicles, were usually traced to motor-boy drivers, who were without experience,” he said.

He explained that driving a commercial vehicle should not be taken with levity because it involve lives and goods.

Akpabio called on transport unions, parents, as well as passengers, to assist the commission in checking underage drivers in order to achieve the united Nation’s Decade of Action for Safer Road Users.

“Road crash involving a commercial bus may jeopardise the existence or progress of 10 families and if it involved freight vehicle, it will affect the progress of the company.

“Drivers are very important as they can either mar or make a person, because if there is safe arrival, goals and aims can be achieved, but in a reversed case, such goals and aims have been cut short,” he said.

He said that the approved minimum age of 25 years for obtaining commercial driver’s licence would help in checking road crashes usually caused by underage drivers.

He urged commercial drivers to start processing their licence now to avoid last minute rush.

He advised them to avoid patronising touts and go through the normal process of obtaining the product.

NAN reports that the new commercial driver’s licence -- class-E -- was flagged off in Lagos on Dec. 31, 2012 to identify underage and unqualified drivers.

NAN