The Nigerian Senate, on Tuesday, initiated moves to check the movement of articulated lorries, tankers, and trailers during daytime hours nationwide.

This followed the introduction of ?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 the lawmaker representing Delta North Senatorial District, Ned Nwoko, seeks to restrict the operations of heavy-duty vehicles to between 12:00 midnight and 6:00 am except in cases of emergency.

On the proposed sanctions, the bill stated that ?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.?

Provisions are made for vehicles transporting essential goods, such as medical supplies, or operating in public interest emergencies.

Nwoko stated that ?the bill aims to address the high rate of accidents caused by heavy-duty vehicles, reduce traffic congestion, and safeguard lives and property.?

According to the Federal Road Safety Commission, articulated vehicles, tankers, and trailers were responsible for 3,200 deaths between 2015 and 2018, with the country losing over ?39bn to tanker and trailer-related accidents in 2018 alone.

Nwoko highlighted the chaos on Nigerian roads caused by fuel tankers, cement trucks, and trailers carrying hazardous cargo, which compete with passenger vehicles during rush hours, leading to fatal accidents and severe economic losses.

The bill will proceed to a second reading, where the sponsor will present its general principles before moving to a public hearing stage. (The PUNCH)

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