Cycology Cycling Club, has called on the government and corporate organisations to sponsor road signs and billboards that will promote safety of lives on major roads across Lagos, so as reduce fatalities and accidents.
Members of the club had placards bearing inscriptions such as ‘ Na We All Get the Road’, ‘ No Jam Person’, Drive Easy’, ‘No Do Gra Gra for Road’, among others, to raise awareness and educate motorists and commercial bus drivers about the importance of sharing the road, promoting safety, and showing courtesy to all road users (including non-motorists).
The move was to commemorate the United Nations ( UN) road safety week.
Speaking to journalists, at the Share the Road (STR) ride/ awareness campaign, held recently, at Iyana Oworo, axis of Lagos, the Captain of the club, Mrs. Temitope George expressed concern that cyclists are vulnerable especially when cycling on major roads as they are sometimes knocked down by hit-and-run drivers.
According to her, ” In recent times, there have been a number of deaths as a result of hit-and-run drivers on the roads. A member of the club was hit on December 11, and died, in April this year, one of our professional cyclist was hit by a bus and died.
“On new year’s day, we saw two dispatch riders on the road dead, obviously hit by a vehicle.”
She expressed concern that bus drivers usually complained about cyclists being on the road, adding that as road users which include motorists, cyclists, motorcyclists, trycylists and pedestrians, have the same rights and need to be safe on the road.
“We are all road users who need to be safe. We all have a right to be on the road and we can all share the road if we do it respectfully and responsibly to avoid road fatalities.
“Federal Road Safety Corp ( FRSC) said there had been over 40,000 fatalities from road accidents annually. Its road safety week, UN is celebrating road safety week and part of their theme is ‘Sustainable Transport ‘ and they are saying that they want government to facilitate walking and cycling. But how would people do these if the roads are not safe !”George stressed.
A member of the club, Mr. Yemi Osilaja regretted that motorists believe that they have all the right on the road thereby pushing away those who are jugging or cycling.
He noted that this has resulted to a lot of fatalities because of lack of education for most of the drivers.
He recalled that all over Europe and parts of Africa, there have been concerted efforts to reduce accidents on the roads, adding that an organisation led by the European Union is currently working on a programme called ‘Trans-safe.
” If everybody is concerned, why should Lagos or Nigeria be left behind. We all own the road, so lets share it”, Osilaja stated.
He however appealed to the government to put all major road contracts into consideration for people who are walking, jugging and cycling, so as to avoid fatalities.
