Still on June 1 speed limiter enforcement date
This decision is a shift from the initial enforcement date of June I, which I wrote on a couple of weeks ago. I followed that piece with another which I titled: ‘Road safety is a shared responsibility,’ in which I highlighted the Corps Marshal and FRSC chief executive, Boyoye Oyeyemi’s policy drive on stakeholders buy […]
This decision is a shift from the initial enforcement date of June I, which I wrote on a couple of weeks ago. I followed that piece with another which I titled: ‘Road safety is a shared responsibility,’ in which I highlighted the Corps Marshal and FRSC chief executive, Boyoye Oyeyemi’s policy drive on stakeholders buy in and the need for stronger collaboration, especially in areas such as enforcement on retro-reflective tapes, and speed limiting devices, and other initiatives. In that piece I captured the worry of the Corps Marshal over what he describes as the “unacceptable and avoidable crashes that are speed related, stressing that studies have shown that speed related factors alone accounted for about 50.8 percent of crashes that occurred in Nigeria last year. ‘’
As has been proven, speed limiting devices automatically control the speed of a moving vehicle to the programmed speed limits against the tendency of the drivers to drive above the stipulated speed limits. The use of speed limiting device in vehicles, is however, not new in automobile technology, as some nations even in Africa, had since introduced its usage as a means of controlling speed on their roads. The speed limiter initiative would make Nigeria join other countries, including African countries like Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda, where it has significantly reduced road traffic crashes. But most importantly for Nigeria, the speed limiter initiative could translate to a wholesome reduction of road traffic crashes nationwide by at least 35 percent. When the second phase of the initiative is extended to other categories of motorists, especially private vehicle owners, road traffic crash fatality would have been brought under manageable control in Nigeria. This will certainly facilitate to a large extent the goals of the Vision 20:2020 of placing Nigerian roads within the league of the 20 safest global roads.
The enforcement is in keeping with the provision of the National Road Traffic Regulations (NRTR), 2015, which in section 152, in keeping with best practice to cut excessive speeding which today constitutes a major challenge in our drive to reduce road traffic crashes, states that (4) “a person shall not drive a vehicle on a public road which is not fitted with a speed limiter,” noting that (5) “Any person who acts in contravention of this regulation shall be guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a fine or a term of imprisonment of three months or both.” The same NRTR states in section 152 (1) that: “A person shall not drive a vehicle on an public road in excess of the prescribed speed limit provided in schedule 8 to these regulations or as may be published from time to time by the Commission.”
It further states in sub-section 2 that notwithstanding sub-regulation (1) of this regulation, “no person shall drive a vehicle on any public road in excess of the speed limit indicated by an appropriate road traffic sign in respect of that road.” The appropriate road sign referred to by the regulations includes the maximum speed limit of 100 km per hour reserved only for private cars and 90 km per hour for taxis and buses, while the speed limit for built up areas could be anything between 30-50 km per hour or less.
Despite the novelty of the speed limiting device in checkmating excessive speeding and the fact that speed is a problem, stakeholders and motorists as is usual with strategies and innovations by the Commission to crash deaths and injuries on our highways, have always had two or sometimes three opposing opinions. While stakeholders who are proactive in the use of best practices are always quick to embrace these innovations, there are those whose response is often slow with initial apprehension and ultimately acceptance. The same has been the case with the speed limiter enforcement.
My interest today is on the group of stakeholders who from the onset embraced the novelty but at a recent press parley held on May 26 in Abuja, appealed to the Commission to postpone the June 1 enforcement date which they described as good. However, in their opinion the just concluded national elections ate into their advocacy campaigns meant to raise awareness and acceptance of the scheme.
These stakeholders were drawn from the following unions – Petroleum Tankers Drivers (PTD) unit of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas (NUPENG), National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) – called on the leadership of the Commission to rethink the date and grant them more time to enable them reach out to their members. The first to throw the salvo was Mr. Salmon Oladiti, PTD chairman who said that “we want to use this opportunity to appeal to the authority that they should give us a little time in order to sensitise our members across the country.” He noted that the “speed limiter device is very good for our country as it controls our drivers on the highways.” He observed that if their request for a 90 days or three months’ extension can be granted, it will be good.
NURTW president Alhaji Nojeem Yasin urged the regulators to delay enforcement for the next four months to also enable the union sensitise its members on the initiative. “We need to sensitise our members across every geo-political zone in the country. We appeal to the FRSC to give us four months to get prepared so that every member of our union can be better prepared for the enforcement of the speed limit device.” These positions were echoed by Mr. Adeniyi Yusuf, National Secretary General of the RTEAN, who in his own case cited security concerns in some parts of the country among reasons for the call for postponement. “The time frame is too short and there is need for proper awareness .Our people need enlightenment to be in proper shape so that they wouldn’t have problems with it. We appeal for three months postponement,” he said, a position supported by a cross section of commercial drivers.
Although FRSC boss, Oyeyemi said only stakeholders can adjust this date, it is exciting to know that 72 hours after this appeal was made, key stakeholders rose from a crucial parley in Abuja on Wednesday, May 27 with the commencement of subtle enforcement effective June1, and full enforcement from September 1.