By Dotun Ibiwoye

IN spite of the restriction law banning, articulated vehicles, also known as trailers from  plying Lagos roads between 6a.m and 9p.m, they are not only violating the law with impunity, but causing avoidable deaths. The 2012 Lagos Traffic Law which has 59 offences with their penalties  covers all road users including private motorists, commercial drivers, commercial motorcyclists and trailer/heavy vehicle drivers.

The law  restricts the movement of articulated trucks within the metropolis. According to Section 2, subsections 1 and 2 of the traffic law: “No trailer other than petrol tankers and long vehicles used in conveying passengers shall enter into or travel within the metropolis of Lagos between the hours of 6 a.m. and 9 p.m.’’ However the state government has restated the determination to ensure strict enforcement of the traffic Law.

Illegal parking of trailers along the Apple Junction along Okota Festac road Lagos.PHOTO;BY AKEEM SALAU

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation, Mr. Oluseyi Whenu, stated that the measure became necessary following incessant auto accidents of articulated vehicles, especially, the fatal accident at Ojuelegba, Surulere Local Government Area, involving a container-laden trailer on September 2, discovered to have contravened the Traffic Law.

Transport unions

According to Whenu, the state government would henceforth go tough on any trailer and long vehicle that contravenes the Law as such vehicle would be impounded and made to pay the stipulated fine accordingly. Meantime, leaders of various transport unions and associations in the state, weekend, at a meeting with officials of the state government resolved to support the new directive introduced in apprehending traffic offenders.

In his reaction, The State Chairman of Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, RTEAN, Alhaji Musa Muhammed, who spoke on behalf of other transport union leaders, described the measure as a welcome development just as he pledged the support of their members in co-operating with the state government in maintaining law and order and sanity in the transport sector.

Avoidable killings by  articulated vehicles have become a common-place in Lagos as revealed by this statistics in the past two years: On June 7, 2013 , a man was crushed to death by a container  at Ikeja Along Bus Stop on Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, Lagos State, after a heavily loaded 40-foot container truck fell on a government meat van, crushed a passerby, and wounded several others.

On October 26 2013, some people were killed and there was traffic confusion and fear in Maryland Ikeja, Lagos after a lorry carrying a trailer had an accident near the Maryland roundabout. On Christmas day 2013, No fewer than 10 persons were feared killed when a container fell on a commercial bus along the Alaba Suru area of Lagos State. Eyewitness accounts said the unfortunate incident occurred about 9am

April 20, 2015, A tragic accident occurred in the morning  involving a trailer truck and another vehicle at Maryland area of Lagos. According to reports, no one died from the incident although injuries were sustained. September 2, 2015, an accident at Ojuelegba, Surulere Local Government Area, involving a container-laden trailer killed three people.