Civic Education
- Meaning Of Traffic Rules
- The Road Users
- Rules And Regulations Guilding Road Users
- Roles Of Individuals In Maintaining Traffic Regulations
- Roles Of Government In Maintaining Traffic Regulations
Definition Of Traffic Regulations
Traffic regulations means the rules and regulations which guide the behaviour or action of road users in order to avoid accidents and have free flow of traffic. It is also the official rules made by the government and enforced by the road safety agency of Nigeria. The agency is called “Federal Road Safety Commission Of Nigeria (FRSCN).
That means any rules and regulations of the road that is set in other to guide the behavior or actions of the drivers to avoid accident and help to make road free and easy is called traffic regulations. And this rules is made by government but is enforce by the government road safety.
The Road Users Are:
1. Vehicle drivers
2. Motorcycle operators
3. Animals
4. Passengers
5. Pedestrian etc.
Rules And Regulations Guilding Road Users
Some rules and regulations guilding road users/ i.e the traffic rules. Such traffic rules are:
1. Obeying traffic officials and signs.
2. Avoid Over speeding.
3. Being on road without light or faulty lights, signs of reflector or wrongful use of signal.
4. Obstructing any section of the road with vehicles or any other way that may affect free flow of traffic.
5. Over striking another vehicle wrongly.
6. Using a restricted road where they marked “no entry”.
7. Driving a vehicle without a valid learners permit, drivers license or any other permit required by law.
8. Driving a vehicle or a two or three wheel cycle on any road in negligent manner that will be dangerous to other road users.
9. Driving a vehicle with forged vehicle paper.
10. Driving a vehicle under the influence of alcohol.
11. Using road under construction.
12. Failing to move to the slow lane to free up traffic flow.
13. Loading a vehicle above the weight or number of passengers required by law.
14. Driving a vehicle with damaged/shattered wind screen.
15. Driving without a spare tyre.
16. Driving without extinguisher.
17. During with one hand.
18. Smoking and eating while driving.
19. Using s G.S.M phone while driving.
Roles Of Individuals In Maintaining Traffic Regulations
Individuals have lots of roles to play in maintaining traffic regulations. Such roles are:
1. Engaging In Defensive Driving: This simply means driving to save lives, money and time in spite of the condition around the individual and the provocation actions of the other driver. He/she recognizes hazards, understands the defense and act correctly and in time.
2. The individuals need to study all the traffic offences and signs and obey them.
3. Do the work of driver in the event of road traffic crash such as:
i. Stop when there is crash.
ii. Check if he/she is hurt.
iii. Assist the person to the safe location.
iv. State the fact of the case if asked by the enforcement agent.
v. Report the crash at the nearest at the nearest FRSC office or phone their line.
4. Individuals should not claim right to way, for claiming such right may claim lives.
5. Every driver as an individual should rest for 15 minutes after every 4 hours of driving and avoid, driving more than 10 hours in 24 hours (or a day).
6. Doctors, Nurses and health workers should attend to accident victims prompt/immediately.
Roles Of Government In Maintaining Traffic Regulations
Like individuals, Government has vital roles to play in maintaining traffic regulations. The roles includes:
1. Setting up agency like FRSC that would implement traffic regulations.
2. Enacting traffic laws, regulations and policies and ensuring that the regulations are executed.
3. By making the road safe for the road users.
4. Installing traffic lights and signs at appropriate traffic strategies.
5. Paying the safety agents and officials their salaries in time, so that they will be motivated to make our roads safe by doing their work.
6. Providing the needed vehicles to do road safety work and also providing lowing vans that would evacuate a broken down vehicle.
7. Providing ambulances to road safety agents and hospitals for easy evaluation of traffic crash victims.