A seasoned safety professional, Mr Yomi Olujonwo, has called for stricter inspection of petroleum tankers, specialised training for heavy-duty vehicle drivers and improved road safety infrastructure to curb recurring tanker accidents at Otedola Bridge in Lagos.
Olujonwo, a retired Chevron Corporation manager with 36 years of service who currently works as a Corporate Safety Manager for an engineering firm specialising in infrastructure and road construction in Kuwait, said the recurring incidents at the bridge required a comprehensive review of the transport safety system rather than a focus on individual drivers.
Speaking on the Ask the Expert segment of Trade FM’s Breakfast Business Briefing, Olujonwo said the corridor’s steep descent, heavy tanker traffic, urban congestion and the presence of several petrol stations in the vicinity combined to make it particularly dangerous.
He said the frequency of accidents at the location should prompt authorities to identify and address systemic weaknesses in road transport safety.
“When incidents repeatedly occur at the same location, we must stop asking who is to blame and start asking what weaknesses exist within the overall transport safety system,” he said.
The safety expert commended emergency responders for their swift intervention during the latest incident, noting that their response likely helped prevent fatalities despite the severity of the injuries recorded.
However, he warned that the recurring accidents at Otedola Bridge highlighted the need for preventive measures capable of addressing the underlying risks before another incident occurred.
“The high-risk corridor of Otedola combines a steep descent, heavy traffic of tankers and especially urban congestion. You could see a lot of petrol stations around the vicinity as well. When a vehicle develops a fault or loses control, the consequences can be catastrophic,” Olujonwo said.
Brake failure, poor maintenance and human performance
Reacting to comments by the Federal Controller of Works attributing the accident to brake failure and poor vehicle maintenance, Olujonwo described mechanical failures as major contributors to heavy-duty vehicle crashes.
He argued that brake failure should not automatically be treated as an isolated mechanical problem, stressing that investigations must also examine the maintenance procedures, inspections and safeguards that should have prevented the failure.
“In many cases, what is called brake failure is actually a maintenance failure that could have been prevented,” he said.
The expert maintained that accident investigations should go beyond identifying the immediate cause and determine why the systems designed to prevent such incidents did not work.
“In any incident investigation, you look at the process that failed to support human endeavour. No driver wanted to die, and no driver wanted to have an accident,” he said.
He asked: “What are the processes or safeguards put in place to avert brake failure? What are the processes or safeguards put in place to assure good maintenance instead of poor maintenance?”
Drawing comparisons with the aviation and oil and gas industries, Olujonwo advocated the adoption of human performance principles to make it easier for drivers to perform their duties correctly and reduce the likelihood of errors.
According to him, drivers should be supported by effective procedures, routine checks and systems that identify potential problems before vehicles are allowed onto the road.
He cited the use of checklists in aviation as a model that could be adapted for tanker operations in Nigeria.
“How I wish tanker drivers and motorists in Nigeria would have a daily checklist to check their brakes and do all sorts of things,” he said.
Olujonwo also criticised what he described as misplaced enforcement priorities, arguing that agencies responsible for road safety should devote greater attention to high-risk commercial vehicles rather than concentrating disproportionately on private cars.
He urged the Federal Road Safety Corps and Vehicle Inspection Officers to conduct more rigorous inspections of tankers and other heavy-duty vehicles, including random checks to verify that their braking systems were functioning properly.
He said the inspection process should go beyond checking vehicle licences and other documents to establish the actual roadworthiness of the vehicles.
Tanker operators urged to prioritise pre-trip safety checks
The safety professional identified brakes, tyres, steering systems, suspension, tanker integrity, fire extinguishers, drivers’ fitness and journey planning as essential components of a comprehensive pre-trip inspection.
He said these checks should be verified before a tanker carrying a large quantity of fuel or other petroleum products begins its journey.
“For a tanker of such 33,000-litre capacity, you need to check the brakes, tyres, steering, suspensions and tanker integrity. Then they must have a fire extinguisher, check the driver’s fitness and carry out journey planning,” he said.
Olujonwo stressed that verification and validation were particularly important in high-risk transport operations, adding that road safety officials should confirm that critical vehicle components were functioning properly rather than relying solely on documentation.
He also raised concerns about drivers operating under the influence of alcohol and other intoxicating substances, arguing that measures aimed at improving driver fitness should not be undermined by commercial interests or political considerations.
According to him, stronger enforcement and responsible public attitudes towards safety regulations are necessary to reduce preventable road crashes.
Water-contaminated diesel poses risks
Olujonwo also warned against allowing members of the public to come into contact with diesel or other petroleum products spilled during tanker accidents, particularly where the fuel had become contaminated with water.
He said the use of water-contaminated diesel could damage vehicle engines, while direct contact with petroleum hydrocarbons could expose people to health risks.
“One, it can knock the engine,” he said, referring to the potential consequences of using contaminated diesel.
He further cautioned that contact with hydrocarbons could be hazardous, although the specific health consequences would depend on the substance, the level and duration of exposure, and the route of contact.
The safety expert urged authorities to cordon off accident scenes and prevent unauthorised persons from approaching spilled petroleum products.
“What the government should have done is to cordon off the area, barricade the area with caution tape and tell nobody to go there,” he said.
He acknowledged the practical challenges of maintaining a permanent security presence at accident scenes but insisted that access restrictions were necessary to protect members of the public from avoidable harm.
Vandalism of guardrails, solar lights raises safety concerns
The expert identified the theft and vandalism of road safety infrastructure, including guardrails, solar streetlights and drainage covers, as another factor capable of increasing the severity of road accidents.
He explained that guardrails could prevent vehicles from leaving the carriageway, while adequate lighting could improve visibility for motorists, particularly in poorly illuminated areas.
According to him, removing these protections weakens the safeguards designed to limit the consequences of human error and mechanical failure.
“The guardrails would have helped to prevent vehicles from leaving the road, while the lights would improve visibility. Once these protections, which I will call the safeguards, are removed, the severity of a crash, whenever it happens, will significantly increase,” Olujonwo said.
He called for stronger surveillance and patrols to protect public infrastructure, particularly along isolated stretches of roads and bridges where vandalism could occur without immediate detection.
He also urged members of the public to take greater responsibility for protecting public infrastructure rather than leaving the burden entirely to government.
“Everybody needs to be a watchkeeper of infrastructure,” he said.
Olujonwo cited previous patrol operations on the Third Mainland Bridge as an example of the type of intervention that could help deter criminal activity and the vandalism of road infrastructure.
He recommended more sustained monitoring of vulnerable locations to prevent newly installed safety facilities from being removed or damaged.
Weighbridges cannot replace vehicle safety inspections
Reacting to plans by the Federal Government to consider reintroducing weighbridges to check overloaded vehicles, Olujonwo described the proposal as a positive step but cautioned that it would not, on its own, prevent tanker accidents.
He explained that weighbridges could help authorities identify overloaded trucks and protect road surfaces and bridges from damage caused by excessive vehicle loads.
However, he stressed that overloading was only one of several risks associated with heavy-duty vehicles.
“A weighbridge is just to ensure the asphalt doesn’t compress and gets worn due to overloading of the vehicles plying it. But the weighbridge will not stop all these accidents that we are seeing,” he said.
He argued that a truck could comply with weight limits and still pose a serious danger if its brakes were defective, its tyres were worn, its steering system was faulty or its suspension was compromised.
“If you have a weighbridge and the functionality of the trucks is not good, well, it serves nothing. Your brakes are not good, a few things are not good on your vehicle, and the weighbridge will not stop that,” he added.
The safety professional also called for transparent, technology-driven management of weighbridges to prevent corruption and ensure accountability.
He cited the Lekki toll gate as an example of how automated vehicle-counting and monitoring systems could improve the recording of transactions and reduce opportunities for revenue diversion.
Olujonwo warned that without effective oversight, weighbridges could become another avenue for personal enrichment rather than serving their intended public safety purpose.
Calls for stiffer penalties and specialised driver training
The expert advocated tougher penalties for reckless driving and operating unroadworthy heavy-duty vehicles, alongside consistent enforcement of existing regulations.
He recommended substantial fines, suspension of driving licences and prosecution of repeat offenders. He also suggested custodial sentences or community service for serious or repeated violations.
However, he cautioned that enforcement would be ineffective if offenders could evade accountability by obtaining new licences under different identities.
He therefore called for a more reliable system for identifying repeat offenders and holding both drivers and vehicle owners accountable.
Olujonwo also urged Nigerian authorities to strengthen the licensing and certification requirements for tanker drivers, drawing attention to practices in countries such as the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.
He said operating a heavy-duty vehicle should require specialised training and periodic reassessment rather than allowing drivers with ordinary car-driving experience to operate tankers without the necessary qualifications.
“In the U.S., in Canada, in the UK, you need to have a special driving licence to drive a truck. I won’t say because I’m driving a car now, I will go and drive a truck. No. You have to go through a special training,” he said.
He added that periodic reassessment should include eye tests, functional assessments and checks to determine whether drivers remained fit to operate heavy vehicles.
The expert further recommended specialised training in hazard recognition, driving on steep slopes, fatigue management and emergency response.
According to him, such training would equip tanker drivers with the knowledge and practical skills required to respond appropriately to dangerous situations, particularly when transporting large quantities of petroleum products through busy urban corridors.
Safety audit, checkpoints recommended for Otedola Bridge
Ahead of the stakeholders’ meeting announced by the Federal Government to sensitise motorists and address road accidents, Olujonwo recommended an immediate safety audit of Otedola Bridge and its surrounding corridor.
He said the audit should establish whether the road’s gradient, surface conditions, visibility or other physical characteristics were contributing to the recurring incidents.
“First, I would recommend conducting an immediate safety audit of the corridor,” he said.
The expert also called for permanent tanker inspection points and checkpoints where relevant agencies, including the Federal Road Safety Corps, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority and civil defence personnel, could collaborate to inspect vehicles and enforce safety requirements.
He recommended installing reflective warning signs and speed-monitoring devices to alert drivers to their actual speeds and encourage them to slow down where necessary.
“These things are cheap. A vehicle coming and seeing, ‘This is my speed,’ it will slow down,” he said, explaining that motorists needed clear warnings when they exceeded safe limits.
Olujonwo also called for stronger enforcement against driving under the influence of alcohol, cannabis and other intoxicating substances, noting that impaired judgement could endanger both drivers and other road users.
He maintained that public awareness campaigns would be more effective when supported by practical safety measures, regular inspections and consistent enforcement.
‘Every tanker crash is a warning sign’
In his concluding remarks, Olujonwo said the recurring accidents at Otedola Bridge should be treated as evidence of weaknesses in the broader road transport safety system.
He argued that relying solely on better roads or more responsible drivers would not adequately address the problem without corresponding improvements in vehicle inspections, infrastructure protection, operator accountability and emergency preparedness.
“Ultimately, every tanker crash is a warning sign that one or more safety barriers have failed. The solution is not just better drivers or better roads. It’s a safer system,” he said.
He added that Lagos could reduce the risks associated with tanker operations by strengthening vehicle inspections, holding transport operators accountable, upgrading road signs and other safety infrastructure, protecting installed facilities against vandalism and improving emergency response.
According to the safety professional, a coordinated approach involving government agencies, tanker operators, drivers and the public could transform Otedola Bridge from a recurring accident hotspot into an example of effective transport safety management in Nigeria.
“If Lagos strengthens vehicle inspection, enforces operators’ accountability, upgrades road infrastructure with simple signage and gets somebody to monitor it so that it will not be vandalised, then improves emergency preparedness, Otedola Bridge can become not just a known accident hotspot, but a model of transport safety in Nigeria,” he said.
