Staying safe during a traffic situation is an issue of worry for Nigerians, particularly Lagosians where several thousands of vehicles ply the road daily. For instance, the busiest time is between 6am – 10am and 4pm – 9pm in Lagos state, where traffic is usually intense causing motorists to drive for extra hours to their destination.
The traffic situation causes some security threats to everyone( both commuters and motorists). This blog post provides safety tips for everyone while in traffic. These include:
- Keep valuables out of reach: Valuables like briefcases, shopping bags and laptop bags should be kept in the boot of the vehicle. Nowadays, car owners prefer keeping such items at the back seat which is not safe. Always endeavour to put cash, phones and wallets out of reach from perpetrators.
- Always Lock your vehicle: Staying safe in traffic situation demands you keep your vehicle locked at all times. Thieves are more observant than you are. They can walk toward the car in question in order to gain access, don’t make assumptions that your car is always locked. Always reconfirm.
- Always use your rear view Mirror: Just like the side mirrors, the rear view mirror is also important; it contributes to your staying safe in traffic. The rear view mirror of the vehicle allows a driver to see through the back windshield. While in traffic the rear view mirror is important as it helps a driver when moving the vehicle in reverse. Always ensure you adjust the rear view mirror that best captures your rear from time to time, especially in traffic
- Avoid talking to pedestrians, focus on driving: There is really no visible sign of a harmful pedestrian because commuters move from one part of the road to another all with different expectations. But really some are walking with the expectation of grabbing something from your car or pointing of dangerous weapons simply to rob drivers and their passengers. Some hoodlums even pretend to be beggars so as to invoke pity, and in turn exploit motorist’s benevolence. As much as possible desist from talking to pedestrians while in traffic
Staying safe in traffic is absolutely possible if you adhere to the safety tips shared above.