By Monsurudeen Olowoopejo
Worried by Lagos motorists persistent disregard for traffic law, the State Government has indicated plans to start subjecting drivers apprehended for driving against traffic to psychiatric test and face prosecution in accordance with the existing law.
It said that the step which was already provided for by law, if implemented, may prevent many from driving against traffic which is popularly termed ‘One-way’, in the state.
The new development was said to have been considered by the government after 856,680 vehicles were found to have contravene the law including driving against traffic across the state.
Commissioner for Transportation,
Oluwaseun Osiyemi, stated this on Tuesday in Ikeja, at the commencement of the 2024 ministerial briefing, designed to relate the ministry achievement under the Governor, Bababjide Sanwo-Olu administration.
Osiyemi noted that the menace of driving against flow of traffic was totally outlawed and rather than motorists adhering to it, they engaged in it, saying state government is determined to curb it.
He stated that many motorists, after violating the law, try to evade arrest from officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), to avoid paying the stipulated fine by the law.
The Commissioner said that this formed reason the government has introduced other devices that could effectively reduce human interference during enforcement.
According to him, “Daily monitoring routine checks through the use of Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology for prescribed particulars violations, 53 of the ANPR Cameras are installed at different locations of the State.
“The use of hand-held devices for enforcement of rickety vehicles, overloaded vehicles, blacklisted vehicles, unauthorized/illegal and unregistered vehicles etc.
“Usage of ANPR to capture other related traffic offences e.g vehicle moving against traffic.
“The ANPR captured 856,680 violations from January 2023 to March, 2024. To reduce human interface, the Traffic Management Solution (TMS) devices handled by the VIS Officers captured 10, 421 violations between January, 2023 and March, 2024”.
