FRSC and expired tyres
Federal Road Safety Corps [FRSC] agents in Abuja are busy impounding vehicles and levying fines on drivers of vehicles with expired tyres. Corps Marshal Mr Boboye Oyeyemi said the action commenced because the use of expired tyres “is a major cause of accidents nationwide.” Even though we have not yet seen figures on the ratio […]
Federal Road Safety Corps [FRSC] agents in Abuja are busy impounding vehicles and levying fines on drivers of vehicles with expired tyres. Corps Marshal Mr Boboye Oyeyemi said the action commenced because the use of expired tyres “is a major cause of accidents nationwide.” Even though we have not yet seen figures on the ratio of accidents caused by expired tyres compared to other factors, the initiative is laudable. Oyeyemi said FRSC would soon embark upon sensitizing motorists on the danger of expired tyres, which sounds like he is putting the cart before the horse.
FRSC made no concerted attempt to educate the public on the difference between “worn out” tyres and “expired” tyres. Most car owners don’t know that tyres expire and that a good looking tyre may have expired while a worn out tyre is still valid! Indeed, it is even possible to purchase a brand new tyre still in its wrapping, but which has “expired”. We have since learnt that tyres come with a date of manufacture represented by a four digit number. The week of manufacture is shown by the first two digits while the last two digits stand for the year of manufacture. Tyres “expire” after four years; therefore any tyre in which the last two digits on the serial number is less than 12 has already expired!
All second hand vehicles manufactured before 2012 are likely to have expired tyres. As with many FRSC initiatives, the intention here is good but the implementation leaves much to be desired. Over the years FRSC connived with consultants and introduced many initiatives ranging from car stickers to driving licenses and number plates, all of which were controversial and had little bearing on road safety. FRSC’s biggest success has been in encouraging the use of seat belts. This initiative succeeded because it was preceded by much sensitization of the general public.
Concerning expired tyres, it would have been far more appropriate to first educate the public, then give a time period within which car owners should comply and change expired tyres. If the problem is about the rate of accidents on our highways, not the collection of fines as cynics claim, then the initial approach should be to concentrate on vehicles plying the highways, not those within city limits. It’s also important that FRSC issues some sort of “clearance certificate.” Residents of FCT where the policy is in full force complain of being stopped daily by various FRSC patrols to examine their tyres at different locations.
It is still uncertain whether FRSC has powers of arrest, detain vehicles or levy fines. In September 2014, Justice Tsoho of the Federal High Court, Lagos held that FRSC has no power to arrest Mr. Tope Alabi, impound his vehicle or make him to pay fines. The judge ruled that imposition of a fine connotes conviction and that only a court can pronounce a person guilty under Section 10 (4) and 28(2) of the FRSC Act 2007. The judge ruled that “it is thus very clear that FRSC’s functions should not go beyond the issuance of mere notices of an offence.” Even though FRSC is appealing this ruling, it is similar to what obtains in other climes where traffic offenders are charged to court, and not forced to pay fines on the spot.
We understand that FRSC is trying to get a ban placed on importation of used tyres. This is good; the disease should be tackled at source. In a situation where salaries remain unpaid and inflation is spiralling, it is important not to place too high a burden on citizens. We should prevent the sale of expired tyres, rather than punish those who mistakenly buy them. New tyres are not produced in Nigeria, so it is nearly impossible to purchase a brand new tyre with four years of life left.