Rabat — The National Road Safety Agency (NARSA) has urged road users to exercise increased vigilance due to the heavy traffic expected during the Eid Al Fitr holiday.
Morocco announced Friday, today, as Eid Al Fitr. The announcement was a surprise for many, as astronomy calculations had previously predicted Eid Al Fitr to fall on Saturday.
Eid Al Fitr also coincides with school holidays and an exceptional leave granted to the public sector on Monday.
NARSA urged all passengers to wear seatbelts throughout their travel and comply with road safety rules.
It also urged drivers of various vehicles, especially taxi drivers and passenger transport coaches to demonstrate a sense of responsibility and respect to the traffic code along with freight transport trucks and drivers of private cars.
The statement also urged drivers to keep regular maintenance of their vehicles, ensuring proper inspections to ensure the proper function of tires, lighting and braking systems among others.
The agency also urged drivers to get sufficient rest before driving to avoid fatigue, which is vital in distance judgment and reaction time.
Drivers were advised to plan their trip in advance to avoid unforeseen events and potential risks, as well as organize and secure luggage without exceeding the authorized load, especially for freight and public passenger transport vehicles.
The statement is a customary practice from the agency and the Ministry of Equipment during religious events and holidays to avoid tragic events as traffic accidents continue to claim dozens of lives weekly in Morocco.
On March 17, the General Directorate of National Security (DGSN) said that 24 people were killed and 2,748 others were injured, including 85 severely in the 2,025 traffic accidents in urban areas during the week on March 9-15.
The accidents are mainly due to driver inattention, failure to yield the right of way, speeding, and failure to maintain a safe distance. Tragic events also occur from lack of pedestrian awareness, loss of vehicle control and failure to stop at stop signs. Drivers will also find faults when changing direction without signaling, and driving in the wrong direction.
The security services issued more than 49,600 contraventions and drew up 7,735 reports that were submitted to the public prosecutor’s office.