Lagos revamps school traffic advocacy programme to check accidents

In a bid to enhance student safety and promote responsible road use, the Lagos State Government is set to revamp its School Safety Traffic Advocacy Programme.

The initiative, according to a statement on Tuesday, is spearheaded by the Ministry of Transportation and aims to instil traffic safety awareness among students, teachers, and parents across the state.

Speaking on the initiative, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Sola Giwa, said that the programme will not only educate students on traffic rules but also equip schools with the knowledge needed to foster a culture of safety.

He said the government has identified a lack of traffic knowledge and poor road attitudes as key issues contributing to gridlock and road safety concerns, noting that the initiative is a comprehensive traffic safety education programme for students in public and private primary and secondary schools aimed at catching them young.

The Special Adviser reiterated that the programme will also foster safety consciousness and promote responsible road use by these categories of students, instilling values in them at an early age.

He said that the relaunch of the advocacy programme underscores the state government’s renewed commitment to traffic safety education, representing a significant step toward ensuring safer roads for Lagosians and creating a traffic-conscious generation.

Giwa said that the majority of commercial drivers and professional drivers in the state are either primary school graduates or have attempted secondary education without exposure to traffic safety education, adding that children and young people share the road as pedestrians and passengers in vehicles or on motorbikes. Hence, Traffic Safety Education is a priority for the state government.

The Special Adviser added that the programme will provide children and young people with the required skills to become responsible drivers, passengers, pedestrians, cyclists, and, above all, responsible citizens.

He urged all stakeholders to support the programme.