Tanker Drivers Still Violate Safety Rules Despite FRSC Enforcement — Spokesman

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has raised concerns over persistent safety violations by petroleum tanker drivers, identifying speeding, fatigue, overloading and driving against traffic as major threats to road safety.

The corps’ spokesman, Osondu Ohaeri, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Sunday that the dangerous practices remained a concern despite efforts to strengthen enforcement and improve compliance with traffic regulations.

Ohaeri said the transportation of petroleum products and other goods by articulated vehicles came with specific challenges because of their size, weight and the risks associated with carrying highly flammable materials.

He noted that some tanker drivers exceeded speed limits to meet delivery schedules, without adequately considering the time and distance required to bring heavily loaded vehicles to a safe stop.

He stressed that drivers needed to be particularly careful when navigating bridges, road bends and congested highway sections.

Fatigue was another major concern, according to the FRSC spokesman, who said some drivers travelled long distances, including between Kano and Lagos, overnight without taking sufficient rest.

“Driving while fatigued could impair concentration and reaction time, increasing the likelihood of losing control of vehicles,” Ohaeri warned.

He also identified driving against traffic and overloading as dangerous practices, adding that some operators carried extra goods alongside petroleum products.

“Also, driving against traffic is another serious violation. Some operators overload their vehicles or use them to carry additional goods alongside petroleum products,” he said.

According to him, such practices could undermine vehicle stability and endanger drivers, passengers and other road users.

Ohaeri blamed the persistence of the violations partly on poor driver attitudes and the pressure to deliver goods within tight schedules. He maintained that drivers must obey traffic regulations regardless of operational demands.

He said the FRSC was stepping up public safety education and enforcement activities while working with operators and relevant stakeholders to promote safer transportation practices.

The spokesman further disclosed that the corps had achieved approximately 75 per cent success in issuing the appropriate Class G driver’s licences to relevant operators, an initiative aimed at ensuring that tanker drivers had the required qualifications.

He added that the agency was engaging petroleum marketers and other industry stakeholders to improve safety standards across the transportation sector.

Ohaeri urged tanker operators to place safety above delivery targets, warning that violations involving vehicles carrying highly flammable petroleum products could have severe consequences.

He called on drivers to maintain discipline, obtain adequate rest before long journeys, ensure their vehicles were properly maintained and comply strictly with speed limits to help reduce road crashes involving articulated vehicles.

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