Why Nigeria should implement mandatory Training for Dangerous Goods Vehicle Drivers

Road Safety is a big deal. It is even a “bigger” deal in Nigeria where thousands of lives are lost due to road accidents every year. 

Some of the accidents contributing to the statistics are caused by vehicles carrying dangerous or hazardous cargo particularly petrol tankers. In 2018 alone, there were more than 300 reported incidents involving road tankers carrying petroleum products such as gasoline, diesel and LPG.

Road Safety Management in Nigeria has evolved over the years particularly with the establishment of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the improvements that the FRSC has brought cannot be ignored.

However, the agency has its work cut out for it and needs to further roll up its sleeves with the active support and backing of other related industry regulators and stakeholders if it will ever meet its objectives of delivering safer roads.

The efforts put into ensuring road safety in the country is shown in the amendments made to 2004 National Road Traffic Regulations culminating in the 2012 National Road Safety Traffic Regulations which makes a couple of provisions regarding the transport of hazardous goods.

Some of the FRSC’s objectives include:

·        Designing and producing the driver’s license to be used by various categories of vehicle operators

·        Determining, from time to time, the requirements to be satisfied by an applicant for a driver’s licence. 

The country took another major step towards meeting its road safety objectives by acceding to the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Agreement Concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road (UNECE ADR) which came into force in October 2018.

The Road Traffic Regulations of 2012 establishes various classes of drivers’ licenses which are intended for different categories of vehicles but there is no established system for licensing or certifying drivers for vehicles carrying dangerous goods.

One major step the FRSC needs to take towards significantly reducing accident involving vehicle carrying hazardous goods which will, in turn, lead to it meeting its objectives will involve the implementation of a licensing or certification system for drivers of vehicles carrying dangerous goods as required by the UNECE ADR.

For instance, all that is currently required to drive an articulated truck irrespective of the type of cargo on board is a Class G license.

Driving a vehicle carrying general cargo is a totally different ball game in comparison to driving a vehicle carrying dangerous cargo and as such the same licencing requirements should not apply.

The ADR establishes requirements concerning the training of vehicle crew and requires that drivers of vehicles carrying dangerous goods shall attend basic training approved by the competent authority and be issued a certificate by the competent authority.

The main objective of this is to ensure drivers are aware of hazards arising in the carriage of dangerous goods and to give them basic information vital to minimizing the likelihood of an incident taking place and to enable them to take measures that may prove necessary for their own safety and that of the public.

It further gives information on the structure of the Training which includes basic training and specialization training.

Some of the areas to be covered in basic training for vehicle crews include:

·        General requirements governing the carriage of dangerous goods

·        Main types of hazards

·        Preventive and safety measures appropriate to the various types of hazards

·        What to do after an accident (first aid, road safety, basic knowledge about the use of protective equipment, instructions in writing etc)

·        Marking, labelling, placarding and orange-coloured plate marking

·        What a driver should do and not do during the carriage of dangerous goods

·        Purpose and method of operation of technical equipment on vehicles

·        Precautions to be taken during loading and unloading of dangerous goods

·        General information concerning liability and security awareness

Further specialization training is also required for carriage in tanks, carriage of explosives and radioactive materials.

Only drivers who have gone through this and passed a test should be issue a dangerous goods driver’s license as it is done in other countries that have signed to the ADR.

This should be backed up with enforcement on the road and erring companies sanctioned appropriately.

The truth about the current situation is that many drivers who are involved with the transport of dangerous goods on our roads have sufficient appreciation of the risks involved.

This is evident in the fact that very few tankers drivers have any form of literacy.

Employers will be doing themselves and society at large a world of good by ensuring that only drivers with some degree of literacy and adequate training are put on the wheels.

Section of the ADR requires that instructions in writing be provided to vehicle crew on actions to be taken in the event of an emergency. How will an uneducated vehicle crew understand these?

There is a direct link between safety and competence and the level of knowledge available to drivers, particularly of vehicles carrying dangerous goods could mean life or death for other road users.