LASDRI AND SAFETY OF LAGOS’ HIGHWAYS

Dawodu Olatokunbo

Transportation is the pivot around which the wheel of every modern economy revolves. The efficiency with which people, goods and services can move from one point to the other largely determines the quality of life of every society.  Lagos population is estimated to consist of over 18 million people and according to the United Nations projection, by 2018 the population will be 30 million, making it the 3rd largest city in the world. Lagos daily records an average of 227 vehicles per every square kilometre of roads.

One factor that has continued to work against safety on roads across the country is the failure of motorists, most especially commercial drivers, to obey simple traffic rules and regulations. Most of the drivers using the highways in Nigeria never got trained formally anywhere. They were trained by people that are not qualified to train drivers. They keep on passing bad habits to the drivers they train and this has resulted in what we find on the highways.

Today, throughout Africa, public transportation is dominated by the operations of a ‘disorganized’ informal sector. Without a doubt, this has hampered economic development and reduced the quality of life of citizens as the largely disorganized transport system brings about colossal economic losses. Being the economic hub of West-Africa, Lagos is not entirely immune from the jumbled transport experience.

For obvious reasons, driving in Lagos could be an appalling experience. Both commercial and private drivers drive in a haste either to meet up with an urgent appointment or to make brisk business. The result is the confusion that usually characterized Lagos roads, especially at peak hours.

It is in order to address this anomaly that the Lagos State Government established the Lagos State Drivers’ Institute, LASDRI, with aim of improving knowledge and skills of road users’ especially commercial drivers. LASDRI also has the mandate of ensuring that professional and licensed drivers improve their skills on a continuous basis to achieve a 35% reduction in road traffic crashes attributed to human errors. The setting up of LASDRI was a bold step towards ensuring that motorists are schooled in the technology and art of driving.

Part of LASDRI’s mandates is to ensure that all professional drivers in the employment of both Government and private organizations are trained and re - trained, at least once every year. The purpose of the training is to update the skills of drivers after which certificates of competence are issued to deserving ones. The Institute also provides facilities to assist registered driving schools in the State, compiles and maintains database of all professional drivers in Lagos State, educates trainees in the proper use of the highway, organizes conferences, seminars, workshops and educational programs for professional and non - professional drivers from time to time among others.
Presently, LASDRI operates through five training centres that are located across the five divisions of the State viz-a-viz , Ikeja centre; LSTC yard at Ilupeju-Oshodi; Badagry centre;  Oko Afo, after Agbara Industrial Estate, Badagry, Ikorodu centre;  Lagos State Ministry of Transportation (VIO) yard, Odogunyan, Ikorodu, Lagos Island centre; Oja Oba Market by Adeniji Adele, Lagos Island and Epe centre; Lagos State Ministry of Transportation yard, Epe-Ikorodu road, Epe.

Like it is being done with all the projects of the Lagos state government, the Institute has embraced the scientific approach in fulfilling the LASDRI dream and this is gradually paying off. This is reflected in the training programmes the Institute organizes for its target audience.  Today, LASDRI has the first Driver Education Curriculum in Nigeria and indeed Africa which was taken to a conference organised by the Swedish Development and Cooperation Agency (SIDA) in South Africa and it was recommended to other African countries.

The first one is the compulsory one which has the force of law and mandatory. That is the one that all professional drivers in Lagos State must attend every year. The second window is through structured courses. Individuals/establishment could register their drivers for intensive defensive driving courses at the Institute to enhance their competence and improve their safety. In this respect, the training is tailored to suit the requirements of such drivers. Simply put, there are different kinds of training platforms for drivers who drive vehicle for different areas of economic endeavour.  Some of the programmes on this platform include School Buses Drivers, Waste Truck / Tract Drivers, Tanker and Articulated Drivers, High Capacity Passenger Bus Drivers, Emergency Vehicle Drivers, Security Drivers among others.

 The third window is for traffic offenders a procedural apprehended on the highway for traffic offences by the Lagos State Traffic Management Agency, LASTMAS is made to undergo a Rehabilitation course for different types of offences committed. Consequently, anyone apprehended by the Lagos State Traffic Management Agency LASTMA, whether private or commercial car driver must go through a rehabilitation course.

The current administration of Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode in Lagos State has paved way for normalization and active participation of LASDRI in driving schools matters as its statutory duty in collaboration with other Agencies like Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Vehicle Inspection Service (VIS), Motor Vehicle Administration Agency (MVAA) and Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA). All the driving schools were inspected within 3 months across the Lagos Metropolis in an effort to standardize them. Driving schools that did not meet the laid down standard were removed from the Federal Road Safety Corps portal. They were later given opportunity to upgrade their facility.

Consequently, driving culture on Lagos roads is relatively taking a new dimension. The improvement being currently experienced in the sector is not limited to LASDRI, other Agencies has also assisted and has not failed in discharging their responsibilities and with the collective efforts of these Agencies the resultant effect has been close to excellent.

It is in view of the critical nature of public transportation to the overall effectiveness of other sectors, motorists in the state need to embrace innovation and technology in addressing the peculiar traffic situation in the State. Of late, the commitment of the State government to improving the transportation sector has been more defining because it affects almost every aspect of life of the citizenry. It determines the prices of goods and services, defines how easily the children can get to school and, indeed, the productivity of the entire economy. Hence, every investment and every effort geared towards the improvement and re-positioning of the sector count.