Vanguard Mental Health Summit: Distracted driving, social media threaten road safety, mental health – FRSC

… Urges youth-friendly mental health services, stronger online safeguards
By Chioma Obinna

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has warned that social media distractions, emotional distress and excessive digital engagement could undermine road safety and young people’s mental wellbeing, calling for stronger mental health support and responsible technology use.
The Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps, Shehu Mohammed, said mental and emotional wellbeing had a direct bearing on safe driving, warning that motorists distracted by social media notifications, online arguments or emotional distress could endanger themselves and other road users.
Mohammed, who was Chairman of the 4th Vanguard Mental Health Summit, stated this in his address at the summit, themed, “Advancing Youth Mental Health in Nigeria through Access, Action and Advocacy,” with the sub-theme, “Mental Health in a Digital Age: Navigating Social Media, Technology and Wellbeing,” stressed the need to to protect young people’s mental health amid the opportunities and risks presented by the digital environment.
He said driving required concentration, sound judgement, emotional stability, patience and responsible decision-making, adding that stress, fatigue, anger, distraction and emotional distress could impair these essential capabilities.
According to him, road safety advocacy must increasingly recognise the connection between mental wellbeing, responsible technology use and safe road-user behaviour.
“Our message is simple, a healthy mind contributes to a safer road. A distracted mind can contribute to a road crash,” he said.
The FRSC boss cautioned against treating mental health as a private or peripheral concern, describing it as a public health, national development and productivity issue requiring collective attention.
He noted that Nigeria’s young population represented a major reservoir of human capital, innovation, creativity and national development, but young people faced mounting pressures from academic and economic challenges, unemployment, social expectations, family demands and the rapidly changing digital environment.
Mohammed said these challenges made it imperative to create an environment where seeking mental health support was regarded not as a sign of weakness, but as an act of responsibility, courage and self-awareness.
On the influence of digital technology, he acknowledged that social media and other digital platforms had expanded access to information, education, mental health awareness, peer support, professional networking, entrepreneurship and counselling resources.
However, he warned that excessive screen time, cyberbullying, online harassment, social comparison, misinformation, harmful content and pressure to maintain an idealised online identity could negatively affect emotional wellbeing.
He stressed that the answer was not to demonise technology but to encourage balanced and healthy engagement with it.
“The solution, therefore, is not to demonise technology, but to promote responsible, balanced and healthy engagement with it,” Mohammed said.
He urged stakeholders to translate conversations about youth mental health into practical interventions, identifying access to affordable, confidential and youth-friendly services, including counselling and psychosocial support, as a priority.
He also called for mental health awareness programmes in schools, universities, workplaces, communities and digital spaces, stressing the need for government agencies, the media, parents, educational institutions, religious organisations, civil society groups and young people to work together to challenge stigma and improve mental health literacy.
Mohammed particularly commended Vanguard Newspaper for sustaining the annual summit, describing the media as a strategic partner in mental health promotion and prevention.
He said responsible journalism could help reduce stigma, promote accurate information, publicise available support services, amplify young people’s experiences, challenge harmful online narratives and hold institutions accountable for their mental health commitments.
“The media should therefore be regarded not merely as a source of information, but as a strategic partner in mental-health promotion and prevention,” he said.
The Corps Marshal further called on parents to listen more to young people, schools to strengthen psychosocial support, employers to promote healthy workplaces and technology platforms to improve safeguards against harmful content and online abuse.
He urged the government to continue strengthening mental health policies and services, while empowering young people to recognise when they needed help and understand where and how to obtain it.
Mohammed said the FRSC would continue to strengthen public education on responsible road use, distraction prevention, emotional self-regulation, fatigue management and safe decision-making behind the wheel.
He maintained that protecting the mental wellbeing of young Nigerians was essential to the country’s future, urging stakeholders to make access, action and advocacy a national commitment.
“As we navigate the digital age, our objective should not be to keep young people away from technology, but to equip them with the knowledge, resilience, discipline and support systems required to use technology without compromising their wellbeing,” he said.
He called on stakeholders to translate the summit’s deliberations into concrete and sustainable actions capable of strengthening youth mental wellbeing and securing a healthier, safer and more productive Nigeria.