The General Manager of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Mr. Bolaji Oreagba has cautioned Lagos motorists to be very careful on the road these ‘ember months in order to prevent untoward mishaps and avoidable accidents culminating into injury, loss of properties and death.
Oreagba said the general myth by the populace is that during ‘ember months, there are spirits hovering in the air to cause accidents on the road. He noted that what generally happens during these last four months of the year is that the citizens are usually under pressure and in a frenzy to meet the economic prosperity targets they set for themselves at the beginning of the year.
While not disputing the above fact, the LASTMA General Manager further added that there are three main causes of road accidents; they are human, mechanical and environmental factors. He enunciated the human factors to include ill-health, poor driving behaviour, driving under alcoholic influence, driving against direction of traffic flow (one-way), use of mobile devices and gadgets, over-speeding, jumping red lights, jumping lanes illegally, road rage, disobeying traffic rules and regulations, wrongful overtaking, failure to use seatbelts and helmets among others.
Oreagba further explained that the mechanical factors include vehicles that are not road-worthy due to bad condition and poor maintenance, while environmental factors include deplorable state of the road, flooding, lack of street lights, poor road infrastructure among others.
On Lagos roads, “the government of Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu has virtually turned the whole of Lagos into a construction zone with road repairs, re-development with junction improvements at Lekki, Ikotun, Agege axis intersections; building of Agege flyover among others to aid free flow of traffic, reduce human intervention and promote artificial intelligence as well as the new road constructions going on as part of his administration’s ‘THEMES’ agenda for ease of movement for residents”, Oreagba noted and appealed to residents within the road’s neighbourhoods to claim ownership in guarding the roads.
The LASTMA General Manager advised Lagos residents and all motorists to avoid acts that are capable of causing road accidents and be cautious of safety in order to avert sorrowful regrets. “Let’s make 2021 ‘ember months safe!” for a greater Lagos, Oreagba concluded in his ember months message to Lagos motorists.
