The Nation Newspaper

Category: Motoring

Fashola flags off ‘Don’t Drink and Drive’ initiative

Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola last Thursday flagged off the second phase of the ‘Don’t Drink and Drive’ initiative in partnership with Guinness Nigeria Plc.

The event was held at Iyana Ipaja Motor Park in Lagos.

According to the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Guinness Nigeria, Mr Seni Adetu, the programme is to raise awareness about the dangers of irresponsible alcohol consumption and to induce a change in the attitudes of commercial motorists to drink-driving.

Under the programme, the ministry with support from Guinness Nigeria has organised enlightenment activities at motor parks and has used the data collected from alcohol consumption tests as a prelude to setting a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) level for the state.

“Over the years, Guinness Nigeria Plc has been in the fore-front of the campaign against drink-driving. Our involvement in this area dates back to 2004 when we partnered with the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) to mark the maiden edition of the United Nations World Road Safety Day. We have done a lot since then and we look forward to doing even more as we move forward together,” Adetu said.

Fashola used opportunity to debunk claims that the objective of the new Lagos Traffic Law was to generate revenue for the government.

He said criticisms that the law was promulgated to make money were unfounded, adding that the ultimate objective was the prosperity of the state and its residents.

Fashola said: “Some people have said we made this law because we want to make money, but the question is how much money can we make from violators?

“How much money can we really make? This is not about politics; it is about your lives. How much fines can we get? The fines cannot fund the budget of the state.

“But your prosperity, your growth can develop the economy of Lagos in a much more fundamental way. That is the big picture that we see.”

He urged residents, especially transport workers, to comply with the provisions of the law, saying the success of the legislation would be determined by voluntary compliance.

Fashola enjoined transport workers against intake of alcohol and hard drugs before and during driving, saying this had significantly contributed to cases of road accidents in the state.

He said the state, through traffic officials, would begin to administer breath analyser on drivers, to check the alcoholic content of their blood, to ensure they were fit to convey passengers safely.

“We have designed this safety and health programme for our transport workers because they are critical stakeholders in our transport sector, and that’s why we are taking it to the motor parks and garages.

“This is the third park I have been to. I was at Ojota and Iddo motor parks. Now I am at Iyana Ipaja and the journey continues.

“The programme, apart from sensitising drivers on safety issues, also provides an opportunity for them to screen for diseases like hypertension and diabetes that could undermine their job.

“We urge our transport workers to take advantage of this programme and do what is right all the time and we hope that they would spread the message to others,“ he said.

October 1, 2012
Bridges and road crashes

Dynamism or situational management is a very vital key in every sphere of life. As it was in the beginning, so it is now and so shall it be forever, is a divine order because every work of God is perfectly done, needing no amendment in any form.

However, in the case of the works of human beings, there is a need for regular evaluation to know the areas that need to be adjusted to prevent avoidable consequences.

I took a fact-finding trip on the Shagamu – Benin road recently to assess the road safety situation. My findings were disheartening.

I saw 16 road accident cases on this same road alone. Eight of the accidents resulted from over-speeding on slippery road because of the rainfall of that day. Three cases were caused by wrong overtaking because of road diversions.

Four of the cases happened the previous night as a result of the factors associated with night driving.

The last and most pathetic case which is the reason for this article was caused by construction lapses. An articulated vehicle had a head – on collision with a passenger bus on a bridge. The bus somersaulted and hung in between the bridge and the river thereby emptying virtually all the passengers and luggages into the river. I could not ascertain if any of the passengers that fell into the river survived.

Taking a look at the bridge, the side rails are no more there not because they were removed by vandals but because of incessant accidents on the bridge which has destroyed the rails.

The main cause of the accident was the unevenness of the road at the beginning and the end of the bridge which always throw up vehicles that pass the road with speed.

This usually result to a loss of control of vehicles. The side rails are tiny pipes, not concrete. These two vehicles in this case drove in the opposite direction on the same lane because of diversion. The uneven part of the bridge threw up the bus thereby making the driver to lose control of the vehicle and hit the on – coming articulated vehicle which pushed the bus to the weak side rails which was not strong enough to prevent the bus from falling into the river.

There are many bridges on the shagamu – Benin road without rails at all. The case of the four Igbinedion university lecturers whose vehicle fell into river is still very fresh.

Reports in the Punch Newspaper September 11, 2012 revealed that on the next day after my research trip on shagamu – Benin expressway (Sunday), 11 people died in two auto crashes.

The main reason for writing this report is to recommend that the construction companies should know that the volume of traffic on roads today is by far different from what it used to be in the 70s and in the 80’s when these bridges were constructed. They should also know that some vandals have discovered alternative use of the aluminum rails which has rendered its use in road construction unnecessary in Nigeria.

Rather, concrete walls should be used to replace the aluminum rails on bridges. They are stronger and will not be tampered with by the vandals.

Government ministries and agencies responsible for road construction and monitoring should also take into cognizance the relevance of durable road and furnitures. The existing bridges should be properly fortified against road crashes. More attention should be paid to prevention rather than waiting for the harm to be done before embarking on fire brigade system.

There should also be adequate and appropriate traffic signs and road markings to warn the drivers of the impending dangers on the roads.

It is also expedient that drivers must always adjust their speed according to the conditions of the road. Drivers must slow down when approaching a bridge.

All stakeholders must take appropriate and selfless actions to drastically stem the rising rate of road crashes.

Prevention is better and cheaper than cure.

October 1, 2012
Okada accounts for 25% of crimes in Lagos

About 25 per cent of crimes committed in State were aided by commercial motorcycle operators otherwise called okada riders.

The Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Ade Ipaiye, stated this in Lagos at a stakeholders’ forum on the new traffic law organised for local government officials.

Represented by Mr Olanrewaju Akinsola, Ipaiye said the figure was the outcome of a recent research conducted by the Ministry of Health.

He said no responsible government would continue to watch the rising spate of robbery and havoc being caused by the reckless okada operators.

Ipaiye said the state government was concerned about the situation, hence the enactment of the traffic law.

According to him, this is meant to regulate the commercial motorcycle business and also to sanitise the public transportation system in the state.

He noted that the traffic law was not entirely new, recalling that it was first enacted in 1949 to serve only about 300, 000 people.

Ipaiye said the state’s population currently stands at 18 million.

The commissioner stressed that the old traffic law, having been amended six times, needed to be fine-tuned in line with the current situation.

“When a law has been amended several times, there are bound to be issues of ambiguity,” he said.

Beside security, he said the new law would also address specifically the issues of standard, safety and sanity.

He also spoke on the use of motorcycles by courier service companies and other dispatch riders adding only only approved motorbikes, with 200cc engines, would be allowed, just as he added that the riders must use the right number plate, attach the mail cabin and carry no passengers.

“You will also apply to the commissioner for a permit,” he said.

The commissioner explained that the 200cc engine was approved based on the recommendation of experts that it is the minimum engine capacity for commuting.

Although he said that the state government did not outlaw the operation of commercial motorcycles, he warned that the business must be done in accordance with the law.

Ipaiye also said that no branding of commercial vehicles operating in the state would be allowed outside the approved state colour.

Rearing of animals on the road, hawking in traffic, begging and washing of vehicles is now forbidden, he said.

Selling of alcoholic drinks and herbal concortion would no longer be allowed within 100 metres of any bus stops and motor parks, the commissioner said.

October 1, 2012