A BILL TO AMEND THE FRSC ACT TO MANDATE CHILD RESTRAINTS AND DRIVER REST PERIODS
Bill · Transport
A Bill amends the Federal Road Safety Commission Act to require child restraints for children and rest periods for long-distance drivers. It targets parents with children, private and commercial drivers, and vehicle manufacturers. This aims to lower child injuries and driver fatigue accidents.
A BILL TO AMEND THE FRSC ACT TO MANDATE CHILD RESTRAINTS AND DRIVER REST PERIODS
What Is This Policy?
A proposed bill to amend the Federal Road Safety Commission Act to make child restraints (safety seats) compulsory for all children in vehicles, and to require mandatory rest periods for long-distance drivers, to reduce road accidents and fatalities.
Who Does It Target?
Parents and caregivers travelling with children Long-distance commercial and private drivers FRSC enforcement officers Vehicle manufacturers and accessory dealers
What Does It Aim to Achieve?
Reduce child fatalities in road accidents through mandatory child safety seats and curb driver fatigue accidents by legally mandating rest intervals for long-distance journeys.
Key Features
Child Restraint Mandate: Requires all vehicles transporting children under a specified age or weight to use approved child restraint systems. Driver Rest Requirements: Mandates minimum rest breaks (e.g., 30 minutes every 4 hours) for drivers on journeys exceeding a prescribed distance. FRSC Enforcement: Grants FRSC officers power to verify child restraint compliance and inspect driver rest logs at checkpoints. Penalties: Prescribes fines for non-compliance escalating for repeat offenders.
Current Status
Rollout Stage: Bill stage — awaiting National Assembly passage Coverage: Nationwide road transport upon enactment Beneficiaries: Children; long-distance road users; road safety Funding: Not applicable — regulatory bill
How to Access
Purchase approved child safety seats once the bill is enacted Long-distance drivers: maintain rest logs as required Monitor FRSC website for implementation guidelines after enactment Application method: Track progress at https://www.nass.gov.ng
Important Terms
Child restraint standards will be specified by FRSC upon enactment Driver fatigue is currently a leading cause of road accidents — the bill addresses an urgent safety gap Voluntary compliance is encouraged even before enactment
Official Resources
Website: https://www.nass.gov.ng Contact: National Assembly / Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC)
Legal Framework
Introduced under the legislative powers of the National Assembly vested by Section 4 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) as an amendment to the Federal Road Safety Commission (Establishment, etc.) Act 2007. Operates alongside the National Road Traffic Regulations 2012, the Motor Vehicles (Third Party Insurance) Act, and the Child Rights Act 2003. Aligns with WHO Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety and international child vehicle safety standards.