Road Safety Initiatives And Regulations In Nigeria 

Over the years, quite a number of individuals have lost their lives on Nigerian roads owing to a number of factors including poor road network, non-compliance to road safety regulations, overspeeding and a number of other factors. 

The importance of road safety cannot be overemphasised. Road safety is important to ensure that lives are not carelessly lost on our highways. This is why the Federal Road Safety Commission has put in place certain regulations to ensure safer highways for all. 

In this article, we will discuss the road safety initiatives and regulations in Nigeria today and how they influence our day to day activities on Nigerian highways. 

Road Safety Initiatives and Regulations In Nigeria 

The road safety initiatives and regulations in Nigeria today are: 

1. Every Road User Must Possess Driver’s License: Before you’re able to drive on Nigerian roads, you must possess a driver’s license. A driver’s license is an official document, issued by the Federal Road Safety Commission, to certify that an individual has gone through the necessary procedures required before he/she is able to drive and has passed the validation test. 
2. Existence of Traffic Lights: In some major highways in Nigeria, you will find that traffic lights are installed to ensure orderliness on the roads. Especially on Lagos highways, there are traffic lights installed because of the mass number of road users. This is in a bid to ensure that the percentage of road accidents drastically reduces with time and that traffic congestion is better managed. 
3. Regulations on Speed Limits: There is a specified speed limit that every road user must not exceed. To ensure compliance with this regulation, speed radars and cameras are installed on major highways to monitor road users on a daily basis. Whoever exceeds the speed limit will be penalized by the Federal Road Safety Commission.
4. Every Vehicle Must Pass The Road Worthiness Test Before They Are Considered Safe For Highways: There’s a test called the Road Worthiness Test. This test is taken to ensure that vehicles are safe to be driven on the road. A vehicle that does pass this test cannot be driven on the Nigerian highway as such a vehicle will be considered unsafe. Whoever drives such a vehicle on the road will have the vehicle seized by the Federal Road Safety Corps. 
5. Existence of Bodies To Ensure Road Safety:  An example of such a body is the Federal Road Safety Commission. The Federal Road Safety Commission is a body concerned with establishing rules that guide the use of Nigerian roads and the activities of road users to ensure safety for every individual. This body is also responsible for punishing people who violate road safety regulations. Another body concerned with road safety is the Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA). This body manages road traffic in Lagos State and ensures safer highways for all. 
6. Education of Drivers: All road users must go through driving schools. Afterwards, they will need to take a driving test supervised by an accredited Vehicle Inspection Officer (VIO). They will be educated on road signs and other things they need to know before driving a car on a Nigerian road. Unless you pass this test supervised by the Vehicle Inspection Officer, you cannot be permitted to own a driver’s license. It is the driver’s license that enables you to drive a car on a Nigerian road. 

Conclusion 

Road safety should be a priority for all and we all have a role to play in ensuring that lives are not lost carelessly on our highways. The government has put in place certain regulations to guide the conduct of drivers on Nigerian roads. Citizens (road users) have their own part to play in ensuring that they follow these regulations, only then can we make the roads safer for everyone.