Accidents On Our Roads.
Despite warnings to motorists and commuter bus drivers by the Federal Road Safety Commission, to drive cautiously and observe traffic rules in the festive season, the country still have some road users driving recklessly and causing accidents on the roads.
Hardly does a day passes in the ‘ember’ months September to December without one or two accidents being reported.
On the first day of December, about fourteen people lost their lives along the Lagos-Ibadan express road when a truck rammed into an inter-state commuter bus going to Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State.
While some blamed the accident on overspeeding by the truck driver, others blamed it on an illegal checkpoint mounted on the road by policemen.
As if this was not enough, about fifteen people lost their lives the following day in a carnage which resulted from the carelessness of an oil tanker driver which overturned on the Lagos-Badagry expressway near Alakija Bus Stop.
The accident resulted in a huge inferno which led to the roasting of commuters in their vehicles.
Apart from these instances, ghastly accidents resulting in the death of commuters are reported almost daily along the major highways in the country.
These accidents still occur despite efforts by officials of the Commission to reduce the incidents at this period.
Just last wednesday, a commuter bus nearly plunge into the Lagos Lagoon on the Third Mainland bridge.
Two commuters in the bus were, however, not so lucky as they were flung into the lagoon when the bus hit the railings , One of them was later brought out dead by divers.
Many able-bodied Nigerians that could have contributed to the prosperity of the country have died as a result of needless accidents on the roads caused by insensitivity of drivers.
Therefore the need to put a halt to these road accidents cannot be overemphasized as the importance of driving safely before during and after festive season.
Too many lives have been lost already and there is the need to prevent further loss of lives.
‘Ember’ months have been described by the Commission as a period when there is an increase in the movement of goods and people from one place to another.
People are moving from one place to the other either to celebrate the festivals which fall within the period when people visit their families or reunite with their loved ones.
Motorists and Commuter bus drivers must begin to drive with caution and obey traffic rules.
They should avoid overspeeding and ensure that they check their vehicles before travelling, As they say, life has no duplicate and the expressways are not race tracks.
Drivers should not drink and drive or make or receive phone calls while driving as These have been identified as some of the causes of accidents on the roads.
There is also the need for drivers to be aware that the majority of the roads are in deplorable conditions and any slight mistake could result in ghastly accidents.
Inter-state commuter bus drivers should, as much as possible, avoid night travelling, overloading and overspeeding.
The government should also regulate the movement of tanker drivers on the highways by setting aside a specific period of the day for their movement.
Stakeholders can also organise enlightenment programmes for them to sensitise them on the need to drive with caution on the roads.
They should learn to obey traffic rules and regulations.
The government must be implored to deploy more traffic officials and policemen to the roads to check overspeeding and drunkenness by drivers.
Like the officials of the Commission have continuously emphasised, there are no devils on the road, rather it is the recklesness of drivers that kills.
Life is precious and everything should be done to preserve it.
As the nation begins another new year, Road users must to exercise caution and drive safely.
Despite warnings to motorists and commuter bus drivers by the Federal Road Safety Commission, to drive cautiously and observe traffic rules in the festive season, the country still have some road users driving recklessly and causing accidents on the roads.
Hardly does a day passes in the ‘ember’ months September to December without one or two accidents being reported.
On the first day of December, about fourteen people lost their lives along the Lagos-Ibadan express road when a truck rammed into an inter-state commuter bus going to Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State.
While some blamed the accident on overspeeding by the truck driver, others blamed it on an illegal checkpoint mounted on the road by policemen.
As if this was not enough, about fifteen people lost their lives the following day in a carnage which resulted from the carelessness of an oil tanker driver which overturned on the Lagos-Badagry expressway near Alakija Bus Stop.
The accident resulted in a huge inferno which led to the roasting of commuters in their vehicles.
Apart from these instances, ghastly accidents resulting in the death of commuters are reported almost daily along the major highways in the country.
These accidents still occur despite efforts by officials of the Commission to reduce the incidents at this period.
Just last wednesday, a commuter bus nearly plunge into the Lagos Lagoon on the Third Mainland bridge.
Two commuters in the bus were, however, not so lucky as they were flung into the lagoon when the bus hit the railings , One of them was later brought out dead by divers.
Many able-bodied Nigerians that could have contributed to the prosperity of the country have died as a result of needless accidents on the roads caused by insensitivity of drivers.
Therefore the need to put a halt to these road accidents cannot be overemphasized as the importance of driving safely before during and after festive season.
Too many lives have been lost already and there is the need to prevent further loss of lives.
‘Ember’ months have been described by the Commission as a period when there is an increase in the movement of goods and people from one place to another.
People are moving from one place to the other either to celebrate the festivals which fall within the period when people visit their families or reunite with their loved ones.
Motorists and Commuter bus drivers must begin to drive with caution and obey traffic rules.
They should avoid overspeeding and ensure that they check their vehicles before travelling, As they say, life has no duplicate and the expressways are not race tracks.
Drivers should not drink and drive or make or receive phone calls while driving as These have been identified as some of the causes of accidents on the roads.
There is also the need for drivers to be aware that the majority of the roads are in deplorable conditions and any slight mistake could result in ghastly accidents.
Inter-state commuter bus drivers should, as much as possible, avoid night travelling, overloading and overspeeding.
The government should also regulate the movement of tanker drivers on the highways by setting aside a specific period of the day for their movement.
Stakeholders can also organise enlightenment programmes for them to sensitise them on the need to drive with caution on the roads.
They should learn to obey traffic rules and regulations.
The government must be implored to deploy more traffic officials and policemen to the roads to check overspeeding and drunkenness by drivers.
Like the officials of the Commission have continuously emphasised, there are no devils on the road, rather it is the recklesness of drivers that kills.
Life is precious and everything should be done to preserve it.
As the nation begins another new year, Road users must to exercise caution and drive safely.
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