National Daily

New method of traffic safety identified

By OLUWASEUN PATRICK

MR Lot Onokoya has identified another method of enhancing traffic safety in the country, this was revealed at the launching of the Compact Disc. Enumerating the safety features, Mr Kehinde Daniel Sotubo a traffic safety consultant said, “accident is a national thing, and it happens everyday” adding that many Nigerians driving on the major roads today do not know the Highway codes, highway signs and the highway rules and regulations.

In the showcase of the video, it was pointed out that Lagos major road is 60 percent bad and about 70 percent of the accidents that occurs on our major roads are not as a result of human factor. According to Sotubo motorcycles are the fastest means of transportation when it trying to make a last minute appointment, and it is the fastest means of accident.
Accident kills faster than AIDS as it occurs instantly, there is no remedy in accident, due to un-necessary speed, except it is combated by precautions and traffic management in the country.

In his welcome address, Mr. Onokoya said that discoveries and researches have been made; noting that more than 1.2 million people are killed and 50 million people suffer injuries from road traffic accidents across the world annually, with at least, one person dying in a preventable road accident every 30 seconds.

He said it is unfortunate that Nigeria has the highest road accidents in Africa, whick premted the decision to come out with another means of combating traffic accidents, so that both the Literate and the Illiterate would know the basic rules of traffic safety in the country.“Most Nigerian commercial and non commercial drivers are having eye problems, some of them are short sighted and they handle the steering, without knowing that the lives of people are in their hands”.

Explaining further, he said some of these drivers drink to the point of intoxication before handling the steering, and this affects their driving negatively

Onokoya enjoined LASTMA to ensure that the traffic in Lagos state is well monitored by trained personnel that will ensure that every traffic areas in Lagos are well monitored.The representative of the Nigerian Association of Women, Mrs. Apampa Emes in her own remarks at the launching, said that the cause of accident in Nigeria are mainly caused by carelessness and some drivers do not study safety precautions, while others don't study owner's manual.

She said that the only thing that can put a stop to accidents on our major roads has to come from the drivers driving the vehicles, adding that, their vehicles must be in better conditions.The Secretary General of the Nigerian Associations of Car Dealers, Mr. Chigozie Ubani, said that, it is very unfortunate that the Cooperate bodies spend their money and time on housing; instead of traffic rules and signs was in a form of card, been checked after six month before you can be given and issued a driver's license. He also urged that 75per cent of insurance documents are fake; it didn't follow the right process. The government should appoint the body that will be save guiding the act of reckless driving in Nigeria. Due to the fact that Nigerians are driving Fragmented vehicles and with this condition the government has to come in and investigate on this issue and those that are within this deal. He said, there are no frivolous allegations to the government, and when they need an investigation, we will give to them when they need our attention at the level of automobile dealers. Well they have all their authorities of government securities to investigate and find out, the truth is that, many commercial vehicles and private vehicles were all fragmented before they were been recouped and brought to the road for use. We have lay allegations and for them to go investigate if it is true and they will get back to us. Specking with the correspondent about the issue of receiving bribe for them to bring more fragmented vehicles into the country for driving, he informed the public that though it is business and there are law safe guiding the rules and regulations of the country.