Motorists and residents along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway have raised fresh concerns over the growing practice of driving against traffic, with congestion, distant U-turns and inadequate access roads blamed for worsening the dangerous trend.
PUNCH Metro observed that some motorists resorted to driving against the flow of traffic during periods of congestion, while others remained within their designated lanes despite the delays.
The situation has renewed concerns about road safety on one of Nigeria’s busiest highways, where wrong-way driving can result in head-on collisions and other potentially fatal crashes.
Residents around Ibafo said the absence of accessible service lanes has made short-distance movements particularly difficult for people living close to the expressway.
A resident, Awoyemi Oladidupo, explained that motorists travelling to nearby communities often have to travel considerable distances before reaching designated points where they can turn around.
He argued that properly constructed access roads and service lanes would allow residents to move between nearby communities without having to rely on the main expressway.
The lack of convenient access has consequently become one of the factors contributing to frustration among motorists who need to make relatively short trips along the corridor.
Other road users also complained about the considerable distances between U-turn points, particularly around communities such as Magboro and Aseese.
A motorist in Magboro, Yinka Adekunle, said drivers sometimes face the temptation to use the opposite side of the road because turning around legally requires travelling a long distance before returning to their intended destination.
Another road user, Olamide Osho, acknowledged that driving against traffic was dangerous but said congestion and distant U-turns sometimes influenced motorists who were desperate to avoid lengthy detours.
The dangers associated with the practice are significant because vehicles travelling against traffic can encounter legitimate road users approaching from the opposite direction with little time to react.
The Federal Road Safety Corps has therefore announced plans to intensify enforcement and public enlightenment efforts to stop motorists from driving against traffic on the highway.
The FRSC Public Relations Officer, Afolabi Odunsi, said the agency was deploying increased patrols, personnel and monitoring around critical points to tackle the menace.
The agency also plans to engage transport unions and motorists while conducting joint intervention patrols with other security and traffic agencies.
According to the FRSC, motorists caught driving against traffic will be prosecuted under existing traffic laws and could face fines, vehicle impoundment and other prescribed sanctions.
The agency further disclosed that mobile court activities would be used as part of the enforcement strategy against offenders.
Motorists found guilty could also be subjected to psychiatric evaluation and additional road-safety education as part of the measures being considered by the authorities.
The latest concerns are not entirely new, as drivers and other road users have repeatedly complained about one-way driving along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
Previous reports have documented motorists and motorcyclists driving against traffic at high speeds in attempts to bypass congestion, exposing themselves and other road users to serious danger.
The problem is particularly concerning because the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway carries enormous volumes of vehicles throughout much of the day and serves as a major transportation link between Lagos and several parts of southwestern Nigeria.
The highway has also experienced repeated traffic disruptions caused by accidents, road construction, vehicle breakdowns and congestion around major points such as Kara.
Recent reports have further highlighted crashes and traffic build-ups around the corridor, adding to the pressure faced by motorists using the route.
The Federal Government has approved further reconstruction and expansion of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, with the planned intervention expected to improve the long-term capacity and condition of the major highway.
However, infrastructure improvements alone may not completely eliminate dangerous driving practices if motorists continue to disregard traffic regulations.
Road users argue that authorities must combine better infrastructure with effective traffic management, accessible U-turns, functional service lanes and consistent enforcement.
The provision of more convenient access routes could particularly help residents of communities located close to the expressway who currently depend on the main highway for short-distance journeys.
Stronger enforcement is equally important because repeated violations can encourage other motorists to adopt dangerous driving practices when they see offenders escaping punishment.
The FRSC has therefore been urged to maintain its presence around known trouble spots and ensure that enforcement is consistent rather than limited to periods when traffic congestion becomes severe.
The police and other relevant agencies also have a role to play in preventing motorists from turning the expressway into a two-way road during periods of congestion.
For motorists, however, road safety experts and authorities continue to emphasise that traffic delays cannot justify driving against the flow of traffic.
The latest concerns therefore present a difficult challenge for authorities, who must address both the infrastructure deficiencies encouraging risky behaviour and the deliberate traffic violations putting lives at risk.
Until those issues are addressed, motorists on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway remain vulnerable to the potentially devastating consequences of one-way driving.