Anambra Legislature to Curb Accidents with Crackdown on Fake Headlights
Anambra Legislature on Thursday passed a resolution, urging the State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo to direct the Commissioner for transport, and other relevant agencies to immediately commence clampdown on motorists using artificial headlamps at nights.
The resolution was sequel to a motion of urgent public importance sponsored to that effect by the member representing Anaocha Constituency Two, Honourable Ejike Okechukwu during plenary.
The use of artificial headlamps has become quite rampant in the state, especially by heavy duty and articulated trucks.
A connection has also been established between the use of artificial lamps and most road traffic crashes that occur at night, as the lights, usually placed at odd places, tend to blind oncoming vehicles.
Most road users at night have also complained over their inability to distinguish the kind of oncoming vehicles when they use such lights because of the location of the lamps.
This is because heavy duty vehicles which normally should have two headlamps, often place one central lamp at the middle of the vehicle, portraying them when approaching, as either a motorcycle or tricycle.
Sponsoring the motion, Hon Okechukwu informed Anambra Legislature that most motorists, especially truck drivers installed added fog lamps in their vehicles, and these artificial headlamps have caused many havocs and fatal accidents on Anambra roads, leading to so many injuries and deaths.
“This has in recent times become a major challenge for road users at night. With the removal of the diesel-powered streetlights and ongoing construction of solar-powered lights on the roads, night drivers are depending solely on their vehicle lamps for illumination.
“Now, imagine what happens when these vehicles with artificial lamps approach a vehicle whose lights are not very bright.
“These vehicles should be clamped down on and their owners arrested and made to pay fine for endangering people’s lives. It is worrisome that even motorcycles and tricycles are now imitating them.
“If these artificial headlamps are identified by the relevant government agencies under the Ministry of Transport and law enforcement agencies, and dismantled, accidents on the roads, especially at nights will be reduced by at least thirty percent,” he said.
On his part, the member representing Dunukofia Constituency and the Chairman, House Committee on Information, Technology and Creative Economy, Chuks Azotani noted that the harmful impact of the ugly trend on other motorists can never be overemphasized and called on the relevant agencies to put a final stop to it.
In his contribution, the member representing Aguata Constituency One, Anayor Okpalaeke revealed that seventy five percent of accidents that occur at nights is being caused by motorists who use artificial headlamps and urged Governor Soludo to clampdown down on them in order to make the roads safer at night.
“Some of these drivers act out of ignorance, while others just want to show supremacy over other road users.
”This motion bothers on lawlessness and recklessness of drivers who have refused to obey laid-down rules on road use and should not be condoned.
“No society functions well without regulations and as law makers, we have a duty to ensure that laws of the state are strictly adhered to because they were made for the benefit of the people,” Okpalaeke emphasized.
In his remarks, Speaker of the House, Right Honourable Somtochukwu Udeze described the motion as apt and read out the resolution of the House, while the lawmakers supported it through a voice vote.
