COMMERCIAL motorists, motorcyclists (okada riders) and road safety experts have reacted to the new Lagos State traffic law which was signed into law by the Governor of Lagos State, Raji Fashola on Thursday.The Guardian discovered that many of the commercial drivers and motorcyclists are not aware of the new traffic law and want the government to embark on aggressive public enlightenment. The Guardian had to read out the new traffic law to the commercial motorists before they knew what the new law is all about.Although Secretary for Taxi Driver Association, Pen Cinema, Agege, Mr. Azeez Balogun disclosed that he was aware of the latest development about the new traffic law on the radio, he said the government should have put in place road signs to help motorists to obey the new law'It is a good law, but the people who will enforce it should try and enlighten people about the law. There should be road signs everywhere to guide motorists on our roads. Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) officials should not just be arresting people where there are no road signs for motorists to follow,' he said.He disclosed that such is important for motorists coming to Lagos for the first time. 'Where there are no road signs LASTMA officials should be there to assist people to find their ways, instead of hiding somewhere to arrest motorists,' he said.He urged the government to delay the implementation of the new traffic law to give room for public enlightenment before implementation.One of the Keke Maruwa (Tricycles) operators in Pen Cinema, Agege, Shina Oyewusi, said the new law is okay, 'but concerning the issue of the N20,000 fine or six months imprisonment or both for people with fake number plates, the government should look at it again because most of the number plates are fake.'Where are the fake number plates coming from' The government ought to fish out the people behind it' I was a victim of fake number plate myself. One of my friends was arrested with a fake number plate and it was the Vehicle Inspection Unit (VIO) official that processed it that arrested the man. So the government should try and find out the source of the fake number plate. They should make original number plates available,' he said.However, Mr Wasiu Nigbakole, a driver applauded the law, but said that the government ought to have informed the public about it long before now. 'I am just hearing it (Thursday). The roads are bad but we cannot force the government to do it. What we can do is to comply with the new law,' he said.Baba Iyabo, another concerned driver said the issue of driver's licence should be reconsidered. ' The driver's licence usually takes time before it is ready. We are usually given papers at VIO office in Ojodu. Is the government going to allow us to be using such papers until our driver's licences are ready'' he saidJoel Chukwuji, another commercial motorcyclist, said the law on the use of helmet is good as it is a wake-up call to the people that are ignorant of the need for crash helmets.'But the law is one-sided. The N20,000 fine is too much. The penalty should not be more than N5,000. If they insist on N20,000 many motorcyclists will be jailed,' he said.According to Mr. Babatunde Olanrewaju, the punishment for not wearing element is not worth N20,000 fine. 'The government should leave Okada riders alone. It is the passengers who don't want helmets, and you cant blame the motorcyclists for that,' he said.
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