Lagos warns truck drivers to stop intimidating other motorists on the road.

Lagos State government on Wednesday warned truck and other articulated vehicle drivers to stop intimidation of other motorists while on the road.

The government also vowed to intensify sensitisation of motorists and enforce the Lagos Traffic Law 2012 to ensure accident-free ’ember’ months.‎

The Chief Executive Officer of Lagos State Drivers Institute, Mr Philip Ogunlade, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA Comptroller for the Lagos East Senatorial District, Mrs Lateefat Giwa ‎gave the warning at a sensitisation workshop for drivers held in various parks for Tipper and commercial vehicle drivers in Ogolonto, Agric, Sabo, and Odongunya, all in Ikorodu area of the state.

Ogunlade who also vowed that the state government would ‎ensure that drivers attend the Lagos State Drivers’ Institute, LASDRI across the state to get training and re-training once in a year, said that human error was responsible for most road accidents recorded in the state.

He added that the agency was worried by the high rate of human and material losses during ’ember’ months.

This, according to him, informed the theme of the campaign entitled:’Life is worth Living-Drive safely’, adding that motorists in the state need to be safety conscious always,especially when behind the wheel .

Ogunlade said:”As you are aware, one of the cardinal policies of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s administration is security and safety of lives and properties. While this administration is continuing in this stride, it has however been observed that human error constitutes a major factor in road accidents. Practice such as over speeding, disregard for traffic rules and regulations and driving under the influence of alcohol among others result in road crashes with attendant loss of lives and properties.’

The LASDRI boss, said that the enforcement of the law on reckless drivers and other motorists, who flout ‎the law would be carried out by LASTMA, Vehicle Inspection Services, VIS, and the police officers, saying erring private vehicles owners might also be forced to undergo training in any of the five LASDRI offices.

On her part, LASTMA Comptroller,Giwa‎ warned motorists especially the tipper drivers and other drivers of articulated vehicles to stop intimidating smaller vehicles while on the road.

According to her, “Many motorists can attest to the fact that bigger vehicles such as tippers, truck and other articulated vehicles and big buses‎ are fond of intimidating car owners on the road. This is not good, there is need for motorists to consider other road users too.”

Responding to the complaints over inhuman treatment of drivers on the road when their vehicles develop faults, Giwa said that towing of faulty vehicles ‎off the road was in the interest of other road users.

According to her, a moment stoppage of vehicle has greater consequence on the traffic gridlock, saying that the state government has begun working on provision of more towing vehicles that will tow such vehicles free of charge as LASEMA Response Unit has started doing.