The 6 Most Common Traffic Offenses in Lagos
It is not news that Lagos is one of Nigeria’s most populated states. Lagos has one of the most challenging traffic gridlock situations. The traffic gridlocks do not happen because of the number of people on the road. Other factors such as rain, accidents, road construction, road blockage, and more, contribute to it.
Traffic is the order of the day in Lagos so officers of different law enforcement bodies are at various locations to control it. They also fish out unsuspecting traffic offenders and violators.
Not everyone who drives in Lagos is conversant with all the rules and regulations they have to adhere to. We put together a list of traffic offenses drivers often commit due to ignorance:
Driving without roadworthiness
A roadworthiness certificate is a document that certifies that a vehicle is safe enough to be driven on public roads. A vehicle that doesn’t have a roadworthiness certificate is not allowed to be driven on the road. Drivers who cannot provide law enforcement officers with their vehicle’s roadworthiness certificate risk their vehicle being impounded.
Driving without full light
The full light of a vehicle is the brightest headlight a vehicle has. Drivers use the full light while driving at night for a better view of the road. Reasons, why drivers don’t use their full light, are because it is faulty, they forget, or simply rely on the light from other vehicles. The fine for this offense is N50,000.
Flouting the orders of the LASTMA officers
LASTMA stands for Lagos State Traffic Management Agency. They are the body in charge of ensuring the free flow of traffic in the state and reducing road accidents in Lagos. LASTMA officers work at strategic locations where traffic usually occurs, directing the movement of vehicles. Failure to obey the instructions of LASTMA officers attracts a fine of N30,000.
Underage driving
The legal age for driving in Nigeria is 18 years old. Any person who is under 18 years old caught driving on the roads of Lagos by road safety enforcement officers will be fined the sum of N30,000. This is regardless of their driving skills.
One way driving
In a bid to escape traffic gridlock in Lagos, some persons drive in a one way direction. One way driving is a highly punishable offence in Lagos by up to three years in prison. Report such traffic violators on the Whistle app.
Fake vehicle documents
Sales of pre-owned vehicles is a lucrative business in Nigeria. There are many pre-owned vehicle vendors in Lagos and their activities are not regulated. It is easy for unsuspecting buyers to purchase vehicles with counterfeit particulars. If caught by law enforcement officers, drivers of vehicles with fake documents risk six months behind bars or a heavy fine.
Check out Whistle’s blog post on how to buy a pre-owned vehicle in Nigeria.
If you have committed a traffic offense due to ignorance, leave a comment to let us know what it was and how you were penalized.
