ON October 18, 2013, my wife and I  went to the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) Ojodu, Lagos, for data capturing to enable us renew our drivers’ licenses.  Normally, a lecture precedes the data capturing. The lecturer on this day was one Mr. A.O. Oseni of FRSC. As we cramp into the roads for our Christmas travels, it is apt to recall the lecture.

One, when driving on the road, assume every other road user is a mad man/woman (no insult or disrespect intended; just a mind-set to guide you in relating with other road users). These road users include car drivers, bus drivers, articulated vehicle drivers, tricycle drivers, motorcycle riders, pedestrians, etc. Treat them as you treat a mad person.

Two, while driving on the road, assume you are driving five vehicles- the actual one you are driving, the vehicle in front of you, behind you and beside you on both sides. The import is that any of these vehicles can cause an accident that will involve the one you are driving, so always watch out for them.

Three, the maximum speed allowed on Nigerian roads is 100 kilometres per hour. When tempted to go above the speed limit, always remember you are on Nigerian roads where you can always expect the unexpected. Speeding on Nigerian roads is risky and suicidal.

The irony and foolishness in excessive speeding is that if you stop briefly by the side of the road, in no time all the vehicles you sped past earlier, including lorries, trailers and other articulated vehicles, will drive past you again. And then you begin to wonder, what was this whole madness and suicidal driving all about? The second issue Oseni pointed out is the response time in the event of accident. While you can get help abroad within minutes, here it takes a while even with the improvement by FRSC and other relevant bodies.

Even if you get help on time there is the other matter of resident doctors being on strike or hospitals rejecting accident victims or asking for deposit before commencing treatment (rejecting a road accident victim by hospitals and medical personnel is an offence that attracts a fine of N50,000).

If the injuries are severe, you might need to be flown abroad for further treatment because of our poor health facilities. Your financial capability now comes into play. You now see the consequences of excessive speeding; it can easily result in a long, complicated story.

Four, get genuine documents and know your right when dealing with the police, customs, FRSC, Vehicle Inspection Officers, and many government officials who come in all shades, sizes and colours. To this I add even when you have genuine documents and know your right, know when to insist on your rights.

Do not argue too much with a drunken law enforcement agent with a gun. Also if you are badly outnumbered in a quiet place and you are alone, be very careful. Some of these people will get rid of their mother for 10 kobo not to talk of a complete stranger like you.

Five, as a road user make efforts to know the traffic rules, but do not hang onto them once you are on Nigerian roads; do not claim any rights. Obey the traffic rules but do not expect other road users to obey the rules. The other point I want to add is that you should not get yourself involved in standoffs on the road.

Even when you are right, give way to the trouble maker, let him/her pass and you can continue your journey. To the immature, they will feel that they have had one on you, a feeling fuelled by agonising ignorance and gargantuan ego that has no foundation. A lot of them are actually insecure and inherently wicked road users. The real winner is the cultivated man/woman who will not constitute himself/herself into a public nuisance.

Such standoffs can also result in fisticuffs. You do not want to be involved in such public shame. My experience at the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos, has also taught me that some of these lean hungry looking people you see on the road are actually powerhouses.

You do not want to be given the beating of your life. On the other hand, some of the well-fed people you see are actually walking corpses. You do not want to be involved in an avoidable and unnecessary manslaughter or homicide case.

The only downside of my interaction with FRSC is the time it takes to get the driver’s license. I applied for the renewal of my drivers’ license in March; I went for data capturing in October and was given a temporary driver’s license. I was told to come for the original license on December 17, 2013.

I duly went there today and after going through the busy pre-Christmas traffic I was told it was not ready. I photocopied the temporary license, it was stamped and a new collection date of February 25, 2014 written on it. I just wonder why it will take a year to get a card that only takes a minute to print. Meanwhile, by the time this license comes out, the date on it will probably be March 2013, so that in a little over two years, I will go through this horror again.

I renewed my international passport earlier in the month. It took only two days to get an international passport renewed and a passport looks more difficult to produce than driver’s license. So what exactly is the problem? FRSC has work to do. The agony Nigerians go through to get their driver’s license is avoidable and unnecessary.

Mr.  FRANCIS EWHERIDO,  a  public affairs commentator, wrote from Lagos.