Eat or make phone call while driving in Lagos, risk 3 years in jail

Waking up early is no more an excuse for Lagos motorists, who miss their breakfast in their rush to workplaces but find solace in snacks or other quick food while driving. It has also become an offence for Lagos motorists to make or receive phone calls while they are on motion. Anyone found liable risk three-year jail term or a fine of N20,000 for first offenders and N30,000 for subsequent offences or both for any other breaches subject to the discretion of the presiding magistrate. Signing the Lagos Traffic Bill into law yesterday, Governor Babatunde Fashola said the law was in response to th e growing need to control Lagos traffic and maintain law and order just like it is been done in developed climes. The law also banned okada, cart, wheel barrow and tricycle operators from carrying out their activities on the state’s section of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, Ikorodu Road, Agege Motor Road, Funsho Williams Avenue, Eko Bridge, Third Mainland Bridge, Carter Bridge, Lagos-Badagry Expressway, Victoria Island-Lekki-Epe Expressway and all bridges in the state. For routes, which the law allows them to operate, commercial cyclists must limit their activities to between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. However, motorcycles of courier companies are exempted except that they must have engine capacity of 200cc, bear the prescribed number plates and identification, fitted with proper mail cabin and without any passenger. The law also prohibits articulated trucks (trailers and others) from entering or moving within the Lagos metropolis from 6.00 a.m. to 9.00 p.m. This, however, does not affect fuel tankers and long passengers’ vehicles. Any defaulting trailer operator will have his vehicle impounded and to pay a N50,000 fine or a six-month imprisonment upon conviction. While signing the bill, at the Banquet Hall of the State House, Alausa, Ikeja, Fashola said, his government was committed to addressing transportation challenges in the state, adding that the law, which took 18 months to prepare, would complement his administration’s efforts at bringing sanity to the roads through the provision of adequate highway signs, traffic lights as well as a traffic radio. The governor implore motorists to see the law as a means to changing the state for the better, adding that the success of the law would be defined by the voluntary compliance of motorists and road users and not the number of arrests traffic management officers would make. “There are rules that operate in many cities that compare with this state, Nigerians have been to many of these cities and they comply with them. Why then is it difficult to comply with such rules at home? Our lives will be better if we comply with this law. “Some of us have some parts of the law that we like and some parts that we don’t like. The deputy governor and I are the only ones that have immunity from arrest, but we would subject ourselves to the law because no one will be above this law" he said, adding that those who are ready to live with the realities and the complexities of the state are welcome and those who can’t should stay away. Those that drive against traffic when we queue are cheating us and we will not allow such to happen again. If we cannot reclaim back our sane society for the coming generation, I think we have failed,” he said. On the restriction on commercial cyclists, Fashola lamented the increase in road accidents, saying that 722 cases of accidents from the operators were recorded at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja from January to July 2012. Of this number, 568 were males and 154 were females. At the accident and emergency centre at Toll Gate, 252 accidents involving the operators were recorded from January to July this year with 35 persons dead, Fashola said. According to him, 50 per cent of the victims were the motorcycle riders, 27 per cent represented their passengers 23 per cent stood for passers-by. The governor charged the traffic management agencies to ensure that motorists comply with the law and warned public officials to comply with the law because there would be no sacred cows.