By Naomi Salami

On March 9, 2023, a train collided with one of the state-owned BRT (Bus Rapid Transport) vehicles at PWD, Ikeja, Lagos. Eye witness and expert reports all expressed their concerns that the tragedy could have been avoided if precautions were taken. All blame was however poured on the driver because of his decision to ignore all warning signs and cries from the passengers and train officials.

In a proactive move to avert future occurrences, CDHR, the Lagos State chapter, has implored the authorities to conduct psychiatrist tests on all drivers of state-owned vehicles. Besides the regular driving tests conducted by the authorities, the addition of psychological tests to the criteria should be looked at in order to reduce the number of road accidents annually. 

Although it was confirmed that the driver was tested to know his mental state at the time, the outcome of the test has not been revealed. In a statement by the Lagos State Chairman of the CDHR, Comrade Kehinde Adeoye, he sympathised with the families of the deceased and wished the injured a speedy recovery. The group also advised that the matter be thoroughly investigated.

According to an article on Zuto, a car finance company in the United Kingdom, in countries like Montenegro, Nicaragua and Brazil, a prospective driver must be examined by a psychiatrist or complete a psychology test before being issued a driving license. While in Germany,  a medical-psychological assessment (German: Medizinisch-Psychologische Untersuchung, or “MPU”) is used by the authorities in deciding whether to revoke or reissue a driving license, especially if the driver commits becomes a traffic offender.

This incident should serve as a means for the Lagos State Ministry of Transport to make better strategies to reduce the number of casualties on Lagos highways. It shouldn’t also be restricted to Lagos alone but across the country.

Naomi Salami is a Content Manager with Meiza Nigeria

Meiza Nigeria