Improper Traffic Lights Usage In Nigeria

Traffic lights are installed on roads to help maintan a safe and efficient usage of road intersections and junctions. Due to confusion that usually arise from motorists and riders getting to an intersection from four or more lanes and everyone wanting to cross to the other side at once thereby creating a bottleneck, they are installed to ensure the different lanes are made to pass correctly. I n some places, human traffic officials are stationed at the intersections to control traffic but due to under-staffing and  other human factors  traffic lights are installed.

From observations, we have found that a lot of drivers do not obey these lights, many do not know that the law states that on getting to an intersection, you give way to raffic from the left. It is worrisome that many drivers always try to beat the traffic lights as they transit from either Go (green) to Stop (red). Commercial motorcycle riders are mostly guilty of this. Some motorists are equally guilty of this in the evenings or early in the morning when traffic enforcers are not yet on duty. In nearly all such scenarios, there is a near-miss, an actual crash or a resultant logjam. One incident that happened last month was at the traffic light at Apple Junction in amuwo Odofin LGA, Lagos.

A motorcyclist tried to beat the traffic light, brushed a Toyota Hilux and ran into the path of a Honda CRV driven by a woman, badly damaging both the vehicle and the woman's trip with her kids that early morning. Another phenomenon prevalent is when motorists get the the traffic lights, most times people who are going forward go to the extreme right lane usually reserved for those going right. The rule of traffic lights is that the lane to the extreme right should be free from encumbrances so that traffic on it can keep moving to the right, merging with traffic from the left if any, but most times ignorant motorists who are going straight block this lane. Certain road users in such lanes honk impatiently so they can get off the lane but funily, you find them looking like, "ehen, can't you see that we are waiting for the light"  ...doing the right thing the wrong way. Plenty people fail to realize is that there is usually a sign mounted at such intersections instructing motorists to adhere to this rule... Sadly it is regularly flauted.

Please when next you are approaching an intersection, especially one with traffic lights and you have the intention of going straight, please keep to the lane next to the xtreme right as the extreem right lane is for traffic taking the next right turn. This will help decongest traffic and enhance safety and efficiency of road usage.

At http://carsinyankee.com/ we are have a #Traffic Thursday campaign across our different social media handles, look out for them and participate as it promises to be both educating and rewarding too!

Go ahead, obey all road signs, rules and regulations so together we can make the world a better place for us all and our children yet unborn.

Source By: http://carsinyankee.com/blog/9-Traffic.html