Tragedy struck in Ojodu area of Lagos State recently following the killing of two students by an articulated truck, which was allegedly evading overzealous traffic officials. According to reports, not less than 14 students were also seriously injured during the incident. The tragic incident should have been avoided if officials in charge of traffic were cautious in the discharge of their duties as the driver was disciplined. The victims were students of Ojodu Grammar School. The incident allegedly happened when the students, who had just finished their examination for the day, were going home.

Different accounts of the accident indicated that the truck driver was trying to evade arrest by officials of the state traffic management agency when he lost control and rammed into the students. He was allegedly driving against traffic.

Whatever may be the real cause of the road mishap, it was an avoidable tragedy. We deplore a situation where two students were killed in one fell swoop and several others seriously injured. The loss of the students is regrettable.

This is not the first time such avoidable accident would be happening in Lagos. There have been instances of articulated vehicles crashing into residential buildings, public places or tripping off the bridges and falling on people. Three months ago, a container-laden truck tripped off the overhead bridge at Ojuelegba, and fell on a Toyota Camry with four occupants. According to the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Lagos Sector Command, the crash left all the occupants of the car trapped under the fallen truck, though they were eventually rescued.

We call on all motorists to observe traffic regulations in the state and ensure that their vehicles are in good shape always.

Operators of articulated vehicles that are not of required safety standards should keep them off the road for the sake of public safety or be made to face the wrath of the law. On no account should any driver go against traffic.

It is good that the Lagos State Police Commissioner has given assurance of a thorough investigation into the Ojodu crash. We urge him to ensure that the inquest is followed to the letter.
The action by the state government in closing all the schools within the vicinity of the accident till January next year for tempers to calm down is in order. We align with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s submission that the death of the students, especially in a clearly avoidable circumstance like what happened, is terrible.

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We further agree with him that no one’s life, including those vibrant students, who were returning from where they had gone to learn for a better future, deserved to be ended in that brutal manner.

Government should institute probe into the mishap and mete out appropriate punishment to all involved in the tragedy to serve as deterrent to future offenders. Only a transparent investigation into the matter and apportioning the necessary sanctions will bring a closure to the incident. Let this not be among inquiries that had been abandoned midway in the course of investigation. The innocent students, who did not commit any crime by going to school, should not die in vain.

We commiserate with families that lost their loved ones in the incident and pray for speedy recovery for the wounded. The government should compensate the families that lost their children and bear the expenses of those hospitalised.

While carrying out their duties, there is need for traffic managers to put human face to the work. The overzealousness of the traffic officials should be curtailed. The idea of prescribing monetary targets for traffic management agencies or turning them into revenue generating outfits should be discouraged. Their duty is to ensure road safety and not to generate revenue.
A system that will minimise physical contacts between traffic officials and erring motorists should be devised to nip in the bud avoidable road accidents. An erring driver can be booked without any physical arrest.

Drivers should be disciplined while on the road. They should obey all traffic rules and traffic officials. When  driver a commits traffic offence, such a person should submit to traffic officials. The practice of running in order to evade arrest or punishment is unlawful. We support strict punishment to drivers who run against traffic. We also support strict enforcement of traffic rules. Such punishments as fines and suspension of driver’s license are okay. These are ways to bring about discipline of the road.

Officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management should embark on enlightenment campaign to sensitise commercial drivers and other motorists on the dangers of bad driving, especially as the Yuletide season approaches. They can carry out the campaign in collaboration with the leadership of the transport unions and mangers of motor parks in the state.