Traffic Offences in Nigeria And Their Penalties
Traffic Offences in Nigeria And Their Penalties. Do you know what the financial penalties or disciplinary actions are for the various types of traffic offences? This article is for you.
Introduction
Infractions of traffic laws are intended to teach motorists and vehicle owners to prioritize safety above other road users’ rights. However, despite traffic regulations being in place, some motorists choose to break the law regardless of the government organizations responsible for enforcing them. In some cases, laws are broken simply because people don’t know the rules or because they don’t care about the rules. Penalties are used by the government to discipline violators of traffic regulations and guarantee that they are protected in the future.
FRSC officials, traffic wardens, and LASTMA officers (if you live in Lagos) had all stopped you, but you couldn’t understand what they were saying? Take heart; you are not alone in your ignorance about traffic laws, road signs, and infractions—or the possible penalties you will face if you break one of them. The statutory duties of road safety administration in Nigeria have been delegated to the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC).
When necessary, the Corps will impose fines and other penalties on violators of the law to guarantee the safety of the expressways, educate motorists and other road users, and work hard to assure compliance. The purpose of these penalties is to deter drivers from engaging in reckless behaviour or committing traffic violations. naijauto.com will list and explain numerous traffic infractions and the fees they impose in this post.
See also: List of approved centres for new plate numbers in Nigeria
Terms used for traffic offences
- TICK INFRINGEMENT(S): There are traffic violations that may result in a fine or penalty points on your license.
- CODE: The tick infringement abbreviations (s).
- POINTS: Another name for this unit of measurement is punishment points. This is a point that a motorist receives for committing a traffic infraction and then accrues. Passengers who get too many of these points on their license will be cautioned or have their license revoked or suspended.
- PENALTY: A monetary payment paid to settle a claim for an offence committed is referred to as a fine.
- CATEGORY: This is the legal classification for traffic infractions.
| S/NO | TICK INFRINGEMENT (S) | CODE | POINTS | PENALTY | CATEGORY |
| 1 | LIGHT/SIGN VIOLATION | LSV | 2 | 2,000 | 2 |
| 2 | ROAD OBSTRUCTION | ROB | 3 | 3,000 | 1 |
| 3 | ROUTE VIOLATION | RTV | 5 | 5,000 | 1 |
| 4 | SPEED LIMIT VIOLATION | SLV | 3 | 3,000 | 1 |
| 5 | VEHICLE LICENCE VIOLATION | VLV | 3 | 3,000 | 2 |
| 6 | VEHICLE NUMBER PLATE VIOLATION | NPV | 3 | 3,000 | 1 |
| 7 | DRIVER’S LICENCE VIOLATION | DLV | 10 | 10,000 | 2 |
| 8 | WRONGFUL OVERTAKING | WOV | 3 | 3,000 | 1 |
| 9 | ROAD MARKING VIOLATION | RMV | 5 | 5,000 | 1 |
| 10 | CAUTION SIGN VIOLATION | CSV | 3 | 3,000 | 3 |
| 11 | DANGEROUS DRIVING | DGD | 10 | 50,000 | 1 |
| 12 | DRIVING UNDER ALCOHOL OR DRUG INFLUENCE | DUI | 5 | 5,000 | 2 |
| 13 | OPERATING A VEHICLE WITH FORGED DOCUMENTS | OFD | 10 | 20,000 | 2 |
| 14 | UNAUTHORIZED REMOVAL OF OR TAMPERING WITH ROAD SIGNS | UTS | 5 | 5,000 | 1 |
| 15 | DO NOT MOVE VIOLATION | DNM | 2 | 2,000 | 2 |
| 16 | INADEQUATE CONSTRUCTION WARNING | ICW | – | 50,000 | 1 |
| 17 | CONSTRUCTION AREA SPEED LIMIT VIOLATION | CAV | 3 | 3,000 | 1 |
| 18 | FAILURE TO MOVE OVER | FMO | 3 | 3,000 | 1 |
| 19 | FAILURE TO COVER UNSTABLE MATERIALS | FCM | 5 | 5,000 | 1 |
| 20 | OVERLOADING | OVL | 10 | 10,000 | 1 |
| 21 | DRIVING WITH WORN-OUT TYRE OR WITHOUT SPARE TYRE | TYY | 3 | 3,000 | 1 |
| 22 | DRIVING WITHOUT OR WITH A SHATTERED WINDSCREEN | VWV | 2 | 2,000 | 1 |
| 23 | FAILURE TO FIX RED FLAG ON PROJECTED LOAD | FFF | 3 | 3,000 | 1 |
| 24 | FAILURE TO REPORT ACCIDENT | FRC | 10 | 20,000 | 1 |
| 25 | MEDICAL PERSONNEL OR HOSPITAL REJECTION OF ROAD ACCIDENT VICTIM | RCV | – | 50,000 | 1 |
| 26 | ASSAULTING MARSHAL ON DUTY | AMD | 10 | 10,000 | 2 |
| 27 | OBSTRUCTING MARSHAL ON DUTY | OMD | 2 | 2,000 | 2 |
| 28 | ATTEMPTING TO CORRUPT MARSHAL | ACS | 10 | 10,000 | 2 |
| 29 | DRIVING WITHOUT SPECIFIED FIRE EXTINGUISHER | FEV | 3 | 3,000 | 3 |
| 30 | DRIVING A COMMERCIAL VEHICLE WITHOUT A PASSENGER MANIFEST | PMV | 10 | 10,000 | 2 |
| 31 | DRIVING WITHOUT A SEAT BELT | SUV | 2 | 2,000 | 1 |
| 32 | USE OF PHONE WHILE DRIVING | UPD | 4 | 4,000 | 1 |
| 33 | DRIVING A VEHICLE WHILE UNDER 18 YEARS | UDR | – | 2,000 | 1 |
| 34 | RIDING A MOTORCYCLE WITHOUT A CRASH HELMET | RMH | 2 | 2,000 | 1 |
| 35 | EXCESSIVE SMOKE EMISSION | ESE | 5 | 5,000 | 1 |
| 36 | MECHANICALLY DEFICIENT VEHICLE | MDV | 5 | 5,000 | 1 |
| 37 | FAILURE TO INSTALL SPEED LIMITING DEVICE | FSLD | 3 | 3,000 | 2 |
| CUSTODY FEE | N200 per day after 24 hours | ||||
See also: Drivers’ license in Nigeria: Requirement and Cost
Other traffic offences and their penalties
| Traffic offence | Penalty |
| Do not drive if you are under the age of 18 years. | N30, 000 |
| Do not drive without a driver’s license | The vehicle will be impounded by the appropriate officials. |
| Do not drive with a fake driver’s license. | Six months imprisonment for anyone caught. |
| Do not drive with a fake number plate. | Offender pays N30, 000 or spends up to 3 years behind bars. |
| Do not drive with forged vehicle particulars. | Six months behind bars for the offender if caught. |
| Disobeying Traffic Management Agency Officer. | This traffic offence is penalized by paying a fine of N30, 000 or vehicle impoundment. |
| Not displaying a Hackney permit while driving. | This offence attracts vehicle impoundment. |
| Driving on a road without roadworthiness. | The vehicle will be impounded by the appropriate authorities. |
| Driving only yellow cars (cab drivers). | The erring party will pay N80, 000 and must paint the car in the appropriate colours after payment (Black and yellow). |
| Driving a commercial vehicle without a Hackney permit. | The commercial vehicle will be impounded by Trafficmanagement officials. |
| Driving a kabu kabu without an official permit. A kabu kabu is used to move goods efficiently from one place to another. Kabu kabu is the localized indigenous name. | If caught, the kabu kabu should be impounded. |
| Driving on road without full lights. | A fine of N50, 000 should be paid. |
| Driving with worn-out tyres. | A fine of N30, 000 if your tyres are suspected to be worn out. |
| Driving without a spare tyre. A spare tyre is needed in case of an unforeseen emergency. | A fine of N30, 000 will be paid if, after inspection, you are not with a spare tyre for your car. |
| Do not smoke while driving. | If caught, a fine of N30, 000 is paid or the vehicle is impounded. |
| Driving without a fire extinguisher in your car. | A fine of N30, 000 would be paid to FRSC. |
| Never engage in a physical battle with a road or traffic officer. | You will be charged a fine of N50, 000 or you spend a period of 6 months behind bars. |
| Driving on the road with a broken windscreen. | You will pay a fine of N30, 000 if caught with one. (Fixing your windscreen is cheaper I promise.) |
| Driving on a one way. This is when you are driving one way on a road just to beat traffic. | If you are caught, you will spend 3 years (36 months) in prison. (Just avoid it). |
| Driving without a seatbelt. The problem here is why would you drive on any road without a seatbelt? You are risking your life and the life of your passengers | This offence attracts a fine of N30, 000. |
Conclusion
Criminal trials will be established to trial traffic violators, who will be sentenced to prison time if proven guilty at the time of the violation. Finally, keep in mind that a lack of knowledge of the law is not an acceptable defence. Do your research before purchasing a new vehicle to avoid getting one that breaks down in the middle of nowhere and becomes a traffic hazard.
See also: Top 10 functions and duties of FRSC on Nigerian roads and contact numbers
We Believe This Article Was Helpful, Don’t Hesitate To Share This Information With Your Friends On Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp and Google plus.
Copyright Warning: Contents on this website may not be republished, reproduced, redistributed either in whole or in part without due permission or acknowledgement. All contents are protected by DMCA.
The content on this site is posted with good intentions. If you own this content & believe your copyright was violated or infringed, make sure you contact us via This Means to file a complaint & actions will be taken immediately.
