Road Nightmares
Have
you ever been in your car or in a commercial bus moving beside a trailer
carrying a loose container? I bet your heart always trip, not for joy, but out
of fear for the unexpected.
It
has even become a common event to see loose containers placed on haggard trucks
without proper fittings plying our pitiable roads. Also, combined to this is
the attitudes of inexperienced drivers handling the wheels of these road
forsaken trucks (They drive above speed limits, overtake at will, drive under
the influence of alcohol[1],
pay less or no regard to traffic regulations[2]
amidst others).
According
to the FIRS guidelines and safety requirement for articulated lorries (tankers and trailers) operations in Nigeria, it was discovered that many trailer drivers are unfit to be one, as they neither possess the requisite
qualifications to even drive a motorcycle not to mention a heavy duty truck.
It
is also pitiable that majority of these trucks are not road worthy either due
to over use, lack of maintenance or as a result of artificial constructions or
extensions attached to them. Also, it is not only a shame but an eyesore to see
trucks with worn out tires, disjointed parts and faulty engines which releases
destructive carbons into the atmosphere on the road of a “mega city”. (No
wonder they break down often, causing gridlocks and traffic jams everywhere)
Not
until the beginning of this month that the Lagos State Government found it
expedient to enforce Section 2 (1) and (2) of the Lagos State Road Traffic Law
2012, by placing restrictions on movements of these trucks during the day (6am –
9pm). This implementation although commendable came too late. This makes me wonder how slow, sluggish and acrimonious
our government is to Jermaine issues affecting the totality of the citizenry.
Permit
me to say this that ‘cutting the head is not the cure to headaches’. In
essence, placing restrictions on the movement of these trucks during the day is
not a viable solution as we still have cases of trucks, tankers and trailers
causing serious havoc at night.
Although it is believed that ‘what will be will be’, I am of the opinion
that the rate of road accidents caused by heavy duty trucks, trailers and
containers can be drastically reduced or better still eliminated if the
following measures are effectively implemented by the relevant agencies saddled
with such duties.
They
include:
·
Adequate implementation of Section 11 of the Lagos State
road Traffic Law 2012 which established the vehicle inspection service saddled
with ensuring the road worthiness of vehicles by caring out pre-registration
inspection and issuance of Road worthiness Certificate (RWC) to complying
vehicles.
·
As a matter of urgency, a condition precedent to employers
of road transport workers to ensure that all drivers must at least posses (primary
school) education. To which adequate compliance must be the responsibility of the
Road transport Employers Association (RTEAN)
·
The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) must as a necessity
ensure that all articulated trucks and container carriage trucks are properly
laded before leaving the port premises.
·
Defaulters should not be liable to an option of fine. As
such, all fines should be expunged from the Road Traffic Law and all other relevant
regulations, and offenders should be liable to only jail terms.
·
Lastly, offences under the Lagos traffic Law are to be
regarded as felony and not misdemeanor. Therefore, all jail terms should be
increased to 3 years and above
