CHECKMATING A GROWING MENACE: ALCOHOL, DRUG ABUSE AND TRUCK DRIVING

In spite of the reality of the above established facts, driving under the influence of psychoactive substances has continued unabated in Nigeria. This cannot be said to be for reasons of poor or inappropriate sensitization. In fact, the Federal Road Safety Corp and other civil organizations have continued to put up campaigns against drunk-driving. The Beer Sectoral Group (BSG) of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) for instance in October 2014 launched a ‘Drive Alcohol Free’ Campaign. The campaign according to the proponents (comprising the main alcoholic drink manufacturers) is aimed at eliminating the incidence of accidents caused by drivers under the influence of alcohol across the country. As at 2014, NB Plc have had 7 successful editions of its ‘Don’t Drink and Drive’ campaign in partnership with Federal Road Safety Commission. But unfortunately, much of these efforts have not yielded the desired result. Not a few people have however identified ‘enforcement’ as the critical missing link!

The enforcement aspect against drunk-driving has, unfortunately, been unsuccessful and the reasons are not far-fetched.

First, there is no legal basis for determining the legal limits of blood alcohol concentration (BAC) in the Nigerian Traffic laws (Welcome and Perez 2010). And if peradventure it is hidden somewhere in our laws and it eluded the study, one is yet to come across a commercial passenger or trailer/tanker driver that knows what BAC is all about. We can also categorically state that we have never come across any traffic or law enforcement officer administering the sobriety test on any commercial driver.

Secondly, it is an established fact that the law enforcers are likewise battling the scourge of substance and alcohol abuse among its rank and file. It is not unusual these days to encounter a number police men reeking of alcohol in their breath or meet one patronizing known drug and alcohol outlets.

Thirdly, many haulage operators are also known to lack the requisite knowledge on how to establish structures that discourages substance and alcohol abuse and likewise the required understanding in managing substance abuse related emergencies. It is no longer surprising to come across a haulage operator that has never heard of ‘breathe analyzer’. Many in fact do not have any explicit policy on alcohol and drug abuse. Like the saying goes, where there is no law, there is no offense.