The Nigerian Senate has taken steps to regulate the movement of articulated lorries, tankers, and trailers across the country during daytime hours.
On Tuesday, lawmakers introduced “A Bill for an Act to amend the Federal Road Safety Commission (Establishment) Act, 2007, to restrict the daytime movement of heavy-duty vehicles and for related matters” during plenary.
The bill, sponsored by Senator Ned Nwoko (Delta North Senatorial District), proposes that heavy-duty vehicles should only operate between 12:00 midnight and 6:00 am, except in cases of emergency.
Regarding penalties, the bill states, “While an individual violator is liable to pay a fine of N500,000, corporate offenders are to pay a fine of N5m if the proposed legislation becomes law. The vehicles used for daytime operations may be seized and impounded for up to 30 days.”
However, exceptions have been made for vehicles transporting essential goods such as medical supplies or those operating in public interest emergencies.
Senator Nwoko explained that the legislation aims to “address the high rate of accidents caused by heavy-duty vehicles, reduce traffic congestion, and safeguard lives and property.”
According to data from the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), articulated vehicles, tankers, and trailers caused 3,200 deaths between 2015 and 2018, with tanker and trailer-related accidents leading to economic losses of over ₦39 billion in 2018 alone.
He further highlighted the chaos on Nigerian roads caused by fuel tankers, cement trucks, and trailers carrying hazardous cargo, stating that they compete with passenger vehicles during rush hours, leading to fatal accidents and severe economic losses.
The bill has now passed its first reading and will proceed to the second reading, where its general principles will be debated before moving to the public hearing stage.
