The rate of road accidents has skyrocketed in the past few weeks, causing loss of lives and property. Though road traffic crashes have been a source of concern over the years, recent cases have increased fear. Between December 2022 and February 2023, over 50 lives were lost and 70 people injured in road crashes in the country.
Accidents can, however, be curtailed if motorists pay attention to simple details. According to the Corps Public Education Officer of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Mr Bisi Kazeem, on every road, there are motorists, pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists, passengers, and animals. As a road user plying the highway, Kazeem says it is expected that the road is used in accordance with rules and regulations, adding that every road user should be disciplined, careful, and considerate of others to ensure safer roads, thereby reducing road crashes, arrests, and prosecution.
On his part, a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport and Nigerian Institute of Town Planners, Bamidele Badejo, says road accidents can be prevented when motorists comply with certain road safety rules.
Outlined below are some ways to drive safely on highways.
Ensure vehicle roadworthiness
Badejo, who is also a professor of Geography and Regional Planning, says the first thing to note when driving on the highway is the roadworthiness of your vehicle. He notes that the car should have good tyres and the car engine should be functioning well.
“You must ensure the vehicle you are driving is roadworthy by meeting the Ministry of Transportation vehicular test. This test is to make sure all the braking systems, lights, and every other thing that has to do with the vehicle are in good shape. If your car passes the MOT test, then it is good to be on the road, otherwise, you shouldn’t be driving such a car on the highway,” he added.
The FRSC officer, Kazeem, explains that motorists must also ensure that their vehicles are in good working condition before setting out for trips. This, he believes, can be achieved by regularly checking the tyres, lighting system, breaks, wipers, fan belts, oil gauge, water gauge in the radiator and other cooling devices.
Maintain speed limit
Over time, road safety experts have identified speeding as the primary cause of most accidents. The professor states that one must maintain and observe speed limits while driving. He says that excessive speeding is the primary cause of most accidents, particularly when motorists disobey speed limits assigned to specific roads.
In addition, Kazeem notes that drivers are expected by law to observe a maximum speed limit of 100 kilometres per hour on highways.
Be alert
A lot of accidents are caused by carelessness, especially on the part of drivers. Badejo states that a driver must not be drunk or tired when driving but always stay alert.
“If a driver is alert on the highway, he can perceive any danger. Staying alert will help drivers respond appropriately to any form of danger that might surface on the road,” he added.
Be disciplined
Badejo says some motorists display indiscipline and unruly behaviour while driving on highways. Some of the unruly behaviour include driving against traffic, wrongful overtaking, among others. He believes these are some of the things causing accidents on highways.
Know your routes
Quite sadly, some of the roads in Nigeria are not motorable. This has increased the rate of accidents in the country. The transport expert asks motorists to study the roads and routes they ply.
“Most of our roads are in a bad state and require a lot of reconstruction. If you want to drive along a particular road, you must first understand the nature of the road so that you can familiarise yourself with the road and know how to navigate to prevent accidents,” he added.
Always use the seat belt
Kazeem says, “The safety of motorists is only guaranteed when they abide strictly by traffic rules. The best protection inside a vehicle is the seat belt. Always fasten your seat belt and ensure that everyone in your vehicle belts up.”
Take adequate rest
Driving for long distances tends to make motorists sleepy. To prevent this, Kazeem says drivers must rest at intervals.
“Stop in a convenient place, rest, and then walk around to let blood circulate and feed your brain adequately. Take a break of 15 minutes after every four hours of driving. Do not rely on stay-awake drugs like coffee, kolanuts, and even chewing sticks. Travel alongside a co-driver for any journey exceeding 10 hours and ensure there is plenty of fresh air in the vehicle. Also, avoid driving under fatigue because it is very dangerous and affects your capacity to make decisions and function optimally,” he added.
https://punchng.com/seven-things-to-note-when-driving-on-highways/
