Transport
stakeholders drawn from the Lagos State Ministry of Transportation, Nigerian
Police Force, and ride-hailing company, inDrive, have agreed to join forces in
deepening awareness of safety issues among drivers and riders.
This
submission was made during the Safety Education event organised by inDrive in
partnership with the Nigerian Police Force and the Lagos State Ministry of
Transportation in Lagos.
Speaking
on the occasion, the Director of Transport Operations, Lagos Ministry of
Transportation, Olasunkanmi Ojowuro, said all relevant stakeholders should
intensify yearly efforts to train commuters and drivers, focusing on safety
measures and road signage.
Ojowuro
equally called on law enforcement agencies to step up to ensure adequate
enforcement of violators of traffic laws in the state,
He
said the state government was playing its part in providing the much-needed
infrastructure to enhance road safety and providing manpower support.
He
urged all road users to adhere strictly to traffic and safety laws as enshrined
in the state's guiding principles, adding that this would help reduce the
number of accidents leading to deaths and injuries and ensure the efficient
management of traffic flows.
Also
speaking, Senior Business Development Representative inDrive Timothy Oladimeji
highlighted the newly added safety features on the inDrive app that form part
of inDrive’s existing Safety Center. These features allow users to add more
emergency contacts, make it easier to share ride information with authorities,
and improve in-app communication between riders and drivers.
Oladimeji
said the ride-hailing app has many security features that could assist the
rider and the driver against security threats. He urged road users, including
drivers, to avoid any act that goes against the tenets of safety on the road.
Oladimeji
the features allow users to add more emergency contacts, make it easier to
share ride information with authorities, and improve in-app communication
between riders and drivers.
The
latest updates to the safety features are part of the inDrive Safety Pact,
enhancing a comprehensive suite of safety measures. These include driver
verification and onboarding, real-time ride sharing with trusted contacts, and
the ability for both riders and drivers to make informed choices based on
ratings, reviews, and full details of rides. This empowers users to make
safety-conscious decisions, reinforcing inDrive's commitment to putting the
power of choice firmly in the hands of its users.
Oladimeji
stated that the ride-hailing app has many security features that can assist the
rider and the driver against security threats. Highlighting some safety
features, he urged road users, including drivers, to avoid any act that goes
against the tenets of safety on the road.
“Your
belongings should always be with you, whether you are in the car or not. Users
should not enter cars whose description does not match the car description on
the inDrive app. Should you have an incident where you feel unsafe, have your
belongings stolen, or even something smaller than that, it should be reported
on the inDrive app through feedback or support. On the inDrive app, all users
must give feedback about a driver before a new ride can be requested,” he said.
He
said inDrive is fully committed to working closely with law enforcement
agencies. The ride-hailing company stands ready to collaborate proactively with
relevant authorities to identify and address any criminal activities that may
occur during commutes. He emphasized that inDrive is fully committed to working
closely with law enforcement agencies. The ride-hailing company stands ready to
collaborate proactively with relevant authorities to identify and address any criminal
activities that may occur during commutes.
“If
there is an incident with a driver or vice versa, a police report should be
filed so that there is a record of the incident. If the passenger wants to
press charges, the police will contact inDrive to get the necessary details of
the driver, and they will work hand in hand with the authorities to fulfil the
services they have made to passengers. These are safety measures taken after a
trip,” he said.
In
her remarks, Chief Superintendent of Police, Nigerian Police Force, Mrs.
Funmilayo Omosehin, stressed the need for drivers to be more responsible while
driving.
According
to Omosehin, most road users have either been harassed or arrested by traffic
officers because they disobeyed traffic rules and regulations.
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