By Michael Olatunji
SUNRISE NEWS, Lagos, Aug 13, 2020 The Nigeria Transportation Commissioners Forum (NTCF) has lent its support for the restriction of heavy-duty vehicles movement during the day to reduce the upsurge in accidents reported across the country.
The forum said if heavy duty vehicles restrict their movements to night time it would reduce incidences of carnage on the roads.
This is coming on the heels of the incident of July 26th, 2020, where two people died and three more were injured when a 20-feet container fell on a commercial bus at Ilasamaja on the Oshodi Apapa Expressway. It was gathered that faithful day Miss Chidinma Ajoku and Mr Chima Nnaekpe who both worked in the Commercial department, Hajj and cargo terminal at the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria on their way back from work were involved in a ghastly motor accident involving a truck with plate number SGM 715 XA.
The NTCF’s Publicity Secretary Honourable Mustapha Jika in a statement issued yesterday said the forum is requesting for policy document to stop the vehicles from plying during the day to stop accidents by defective heavy duty vehicles and their unruly drivers.
The statement reads: “Over the years, activities of the heavy-duty vehicles operators during the daytime have been unfavorable to traffic management and predictability, and routinely caused fatal accidents on the highways. These are major causes of needless delays and are major safety and security risks for all road users.
“Having carefully conducted a forensic analysis of the dangers of allowing heavy duty vehicles to ply the roads during the daytime, we seek the support of all enforcement agencies in restricting the activities of truck drivers to the evening/ midnight belt of the day.
“This action will ride on the policy papers that will permanently stop heavy duty vehicles from plying the roads across the states during the day. Each of the state, where not readily available, should come up with a policy statement to address this sensitive issue. This will be backed with a national policy paper that will complement the efforts of the various states and help to prosecute willful and serial offenders.
“We are optimistic that these policies, when effected, will reduce the pressure for heavy duty vehicle drivers to compete with other commuters during work hours. Restricting their activities will ease traffic congestion and manage effectively, accessibility to the roads during peak hours. “In addition, we call for renewed enforcement for the mandatory and statutory audit of heavy-duty Vehicles to reduce the number of accidents associated with oversize and overweight violations by these vehicles.
“We seek full compliance with the laws and regulations governing mandatory audit of these vehicles to ensure the safety of the public and also protect the economic interests of the operators. Total compliance to the prescribed regulation will protect our infrastructure and keep the economy. All heavy-duty vehicles must be certified fit to carry the measure of products or goods intended for transport across the country.”