Posted by By Yisa Jamiu on
The Lagos State government has vowed to send drivers who flout traffic laws in the state to jail.
The Lagos State government has vowed to send drivers who flout traffic laws in the state to jail.
The state has reiterated its resolve to regulate the activities and excesses of drivers and commercial motorcycle riders also known as Okada.
Consequently, those who usually indulge in breaking the traffic laws or over-speeding on the Lagos highways would face hard times henceforth.
According to a joint message by the Lagos State Ministry of Justice and the Lagos State Ministry of Information and Strategy to the general public, stiffer penalties now await anybody who bends the traffic laws irrespective of their personality.
Henceforth, any driver of taxis and buses who drives in a direction prohibited by the law otherwise known as ‘one way driving,' is liable to a fine of N250,000 or 20 days imprisonment, while such vehicle will be impounded and the owner of such vehicle may also be convicted for the offence.
Private car owners who drive in a direction prohibited by the traffic laws, popularly known as ‘one-way driving,' will be liable to 20 days imprisonment or pay a fine of 250,000 and the vehicle impounded, while the owner will equally be liable to 20 days imprisonment or a fine of N250,000.
Commercial motorcyclists also known as okada riders, also face severe penalties if caught on the wrong side of the law.
'If you ride an okada in a direction prohibited by law, popularly known as ‘one-way driving,' you are liable to 20 days imprisonment or a fine of N250,000 and the okada will be impounded," said the Lagos State Ministry of Justice and the Lagos State Ministry of Information and Strategy.
Those who drive vehicles at a speed, exceeding the one approved by the law will have themselves to blame, as a fine of N250,000 or 20 days imprisonment awaits them, while their vehicles will be impounded and the owners may also be convicted for the offence.
Also, a fine of N250,000 or 20 days imprisonment will not only be slammed on any driver who drives an overloaded vehicle on the Lagos highways. Such vehicle will be impounded and the owner convicted for the offence.
Hard times equally await owners of vehicles left on the highway for an unreasonably long period of time as the penalty awaiting such act includes the sum of N150,000 for articulated vehicles, N100,000 for empty trailers and tankers, N50,000 for lorries and tippers, N50,000 for high capacity buses and the sum of N50,000 for mini buses, jeeps and cars respectively.
'In addition, for abandoning the vehicle, the owner of the vehicle will be liable to a fine of N50,000 or N70,000 for commercial vehicle or three months imprisonment."