Do We Need Seasonal Traffic Laws

I love festivities in Nigeria. Christmas ranks top in my list. I am also freaky about sallah. It is the same with Easter especially because of its significance. Easter represents the fulfilment of God’s salvific plan for all humanity. Easter also celebrates the defeat of death and the hope of salvation. 

Easter therefore reminds and assures me of my salvation as a Christian. Sallah for my Muslim brothers and sisters equally holds its own significance. Yet, despite these barrages of festivities, it is ironic that there is a seasonal legal lacuna when it comes to dealing with the extremisms attendant with these festivities.

This is why I wish to know if we have seasonal traffic laws in Nigeria? Do you think such laws could checkmate irresponsible driving behavior? I know that times are hard.  I know we are struggling to stay above board with hunger. I know we desire a better country in line with government promises of hope in all dimensions; in the health sector, education ,transportation and in tackling hunger and insecurity among others.

But like we say in the Federal Road Safety Corps especially during festivities, ‘only the living celebrates’. This is why today; I have chosen to tow a path that would have some ready to slaughter me. I know some will wonder why such thought when enforcement or weak enforcement has been identified by observers as problematic in our clime and not unnecessarily inadequate laws.

I plead with readers to allow me to run with my thoughts for some reason. The Corps for over 36years, seasonally remind us that road traffic crashes are higher during the EMBER MONTHS. I have done a lot of writings on this and would wish to subtly remind us again as we are just a month to the ember months season. 

They also tell us that the festivities such as Easter, Sallah as well as Christman come with attendant irresponsible driving behavior with hike in infractions such as excessive speeding, use of phone while driving , overloading, driving against traffic, driving under the influence, and distracted driving among others.

It is on the basis of this position by the Corps that I am towing this line, hoping to find people who share the same views . Unlike the comment by a reader on the concluding writeup titled, ‘’Still on number plate infractions’’,I wish to state that fines or laws are not put in place as punishment or to exploit but a deterrent against killer driving habits. Candidly speaking no amount of fines generations, equals the precious life of a Nigerian motorist.

Now that I have attempted to lay the foundation for my focus this week, let me now dwell on the details. Todays thoughts are not my original thoughts but ideas I stumbled on the internet on happenings globally, especially in the United Kingdom which has remained my major reference point in our search for global best practices. For this new discourse, the UK will again form my reference point. 

This is due to new laws introduced to checkmate bad driving behavior the 2024 summer that could see Brits fined nearly £800. Several new driving laws could get motorist into trouble this summer if they are not aware of them.

 Why summer? Summer is generally regarded as a fun season. It marks the end of academic activities with children on long vacations. It also provided a window for family vacations at affordable rates. In addition, summer weather is usually temperate for all kinds of activities including family bonding. 

Now you understand what it means to be told that new laws exist in summer or in the case of Nigeria,during festivities. Summer provides the much-needed break devoid of unwanted fines or points in driver’s licenses which could disrupt getaway arrangements.

So what are these new laws that people seem to be ignorant about? Although these laws are not really new as they were introduced in UK last summer, they have the potential to drain pockets of holiday makers. I will run through these laws and also guide you with others.

I will start with the new laws in Scotland where pavement parking is now banned with a potential fine of one hundred pounds. For those whose destination is Scotland, please do not run foul of this law. The law makes it illegal to park on pavements including partial curb parking. 

If you are football freak like me and enjoy flaunting national flags as signs of extreme patriotism,you should take a detour or cough out two thousand and five hundred pounds for attaching a flag to your car.The ban has come into place to make streets more accessible and safer for those in wheelchairs and those with pushchairs.

Of all the new laws, the one in Welsh excites me. It is not about pavement parking, neither is it about flag hoisted on cars. It is about speed. This reflects the cries of the United Nations on the need to cut speed especially in built up areas. According to this new law, 20mph speed limits are being enforced on restricted roads with potential fine of one hundred pounds. The restricted roads refer to built- up and residential roads that would usually be 30mph.

This new law reminds me of a decision taken almost two years ago in the ancient city of Kano endorsing the UN cry for lower speed in built up areas. I am not aware of any state despite the endorsement that has implemented the spirit and letters of this global drive to cut deaths and injuries and make roads safer especially for pedestrians and other vulnerable road users.

Although we expect that there should be signs alerting you of the new speed limit, motorists should familiarize themselves in case they miss and their yet to be updated   GPS fails to recognize the new limit. The penalty for speeding in the 20mph zones is about one hundred pounds and a three penalty point on your driver’s licence. 

Let me not set my searchlight on a new Scottish low emission Zones law .The potential fines is four hundred and eighty pounds. This new law is enforced in Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburg and Glasgow. The law prohibits   more polluting vehicles from entering areas to   improve air quality for residents.

This is similar to what I saw when I had the priviledge to visit Birmingham in the UK. The law operates 24/7 and identifies non -compliant vehicles vehicles through Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras.

Number Plate Recognition is one technology the current leadership of the Corps is tinkering with as it has the potential of revolutionizing operations and enforcement which is the number agenda of the new leadership. This new Scottish law is enforced by penalty charge notice and therefore, there is no option to prepay for vehicles. Non-compliant vehicles should beware and should avoid these areas.

Meanwhile, report indicates that initial charges are set at sixty pounds per vehicle, reduced by fifty percent if paid within fourteen days. Penalties I learnt, double with each following breaches. As a deterrent, charges are capped at four hundred and eighty pounds for cars and Large Goods Vehicles and nine hundred and sixty pounds for minibuses, buses, coaches and Heavy Goods Vehicles.

Owner of Vehicles with a diesel engine registered after September 2015 and petrol vehicles registered from 2006 onwards should hold their peace as such vehicles are expected to be compliant. However, it’s important to double-check your car to be sure it is compliant before setting out.