The much-anticipated Christmas for the year (2020) is days away, and for many Nigerians, travelling to join friends and families for the celebration is a rite that’s annually observed.
However, against the backdrop of a surge of the COVID-19 pandemic, travelling to celebrate the universal festivity, has never required so much meticulous forethought.
It is in this light that eelive.ng presents you with safety tips, which are below:
Avoid night journey
It is a general belief that night is the most convenient period to travel in Nigeria, as traffic congestion is not expected to be experienced during the night hours. While the no-traffic situation during night travelling might be tempting for many people, travellers are often at risk of sleepy drivers and armed robbers during this time.
Be on a seatbelt
If you know you are driving during this festive period, always make sure you are on your seat belt. Wearing a seatbelt reduces the risk of sustaining more injury or even in some cases, preventing death. A seat belt grips your body during a car accident regardless of the speed you are going and the suddenness of the impact. Even if you get bruises, it will still keep you in your seat.
Avoid over speeding
Another great thing to note is that driving too fast is a risk, one should not consider. There are many vehicles on the road, this season, and it’s important one drives carefully rather than driving care-freely. If you want to be quick to your destination, it is advisable you leave early enough. If you are still skeptical on which is the best option (over-speeding or leaving for your destination on time), it may interest you to know that research has proven that over-speeding is the major reason behind most of the road accidents that made the news.
Don’t Drink and Drive
Driving under the influence of alcohol puts you at risk of getting involved in an accident. For you to drive safely, it requires a lot of concentration and thinking straight to make prompt decisions. Once alcohol gets into your system, it takes longer time to process certain actions. For instance, an individual crosses the street in haste. You need to act fast in order to prevent yourself from hitting him or her with the car. But you might not have control over your decisions when you are drunk. (STOP)
Cancel vehicles that have 100% passengers
It is no longer news that the Federal Government has put in place measures to curtail the spread of the dreaded infectious disease (COVID-19). Amongst the measures in place is the reduction of vehicle passengers by 50%. So, if you find yourself in a situation where a commercial transporter was is determined to convey passengers by 100%, refuse him by all means. It’s not enough to not board the vehicle, as policing is a collective responsibility.
Distance yourself from free-rides
With the alarming security situation in the country, kidnapping has never been this rampant. So, joining free rides when the opportunity shows up might really not be smart, as this is one of the ways kidnappers use in luring their victims. During this period, taking free rides from strangers leaves you at the risk of getting abducted.