Lagos Traffic Law is designed to protect law abiding road users. It is also designed to ensure that those who disobey any of its stipulations are made to face the consequences of their action so that they can be reformed and join the law abiding group. Traffic offences are called strict liability offences: you do the offence, you pay the consequence.
After working so hard or taking a loan to acquire a car, the last thing one would want is to watch the car being auctioned off at a ridiculous price to some stranger who doesn’t know what you passed through to get the car. But that can only happen if one violates any of the many traffic rules in Lagos State.
In order not to be caught unawares, we have highlighted the Lagos state traffic offences and their consequences below:
1. Driving without a Driver’s licence – Impound vehicle.
2. Driving of any vehicle by a person under 18 – N30,000.
3. Driving with fake number plates – N30,000, 3 years in prison.
4. Driving with forged vehicle particulars – 6 months in prison.
5. Driving with a fake driver’s licence – 6 months in prison.
6. Driving without road worthiness – Impound vehicle.
7. Driving only yellow – N80,000. Enforce painting
8. Driving without Hackey permit – Impound vehicle
9. No display of Hackey permit – Impound vehicle
10. Kabu Kabu without a permit – Impound vehicle
11. Disobeying LASTMA Officer – N30,000/ Impound vehicle.
12. Neglect of traffic direction light – 3 months in prison.
13. Smoking while driving – N30,000/Impound vehicle.
14. Physically assault traffic officer – N50,000/6 months in prison.
15. Driving without full light – N50,000.
16. Driving with worn out tyre – N30,000.
17. Driving without spare tyre – N30,000
18. Driving smoking vehicle – N30,000
19. No fire extinguisher – N30,000
20. Broken windscreen – N30,000
21. Tinted windscreen – N30,000
22. Eating and driving with one hand – 3 months in prison.
23. One way driving – 3 years in prison
24. Driving without fasten seat belt – N30,000
25. Not painting a commercial vehicle the approved colour – N50,000
26. No car hire service permit – 1st 20,000; 2nd N30,000, Impound vehicle
27. Parking on the yellow line on any public highway/ illegal parking – 1st N20,000; subsequent N30,000
28. Vehicle crossing double yellow line/center line – 1st N20,000; subsequent N30,000.
29. Staying within the yellow junction box (offside rule) – 1st N20,000; subsequent N30,000
30. Failure to yield to the right of the way of the pedestrian at a zebra crossing – 1st N20,000; subsequent N30,000
31. Failure to give to traffic on the left at a roundabout – 1st N20,000; subsequent N30,000.
32. Driving on walkway or kerb – Impound
33. Reversing on the highway & parking on walkways – 50,000 naira
34. Obstruction of traffic -20,000 naira
35. Picking/Dropping passengers on illegal B/stop -50,000 naira
36. Driving on BRT lanes – 70,000 naira.
Ignorance is not an excuse! While we accept that it’s not possible for all the traffic agencies to arrest everyone, all they just need is someone who will be used as a scapegoat, please, don’t be one of such.
Obey all traffic laws and drive responsibly.