As the pace of end-of-year travel intensifies, Dangote Cement Ibese Plant has stepped up its road-safety campaign with a comprehensive sensitisation programme targeting commercial drivers and motorcycle operators in Ogun State.
The initiative underscored the dangers of speeding and highlighted the critical need for riders to understand truck blind spots, a major cause of fatal road crashes.
The event drew hundreds of drivers and riders from Ilaro and surrounding communities, many of whom described the session as timely, given the spike in vehicular movement associated with the Ember months.
Beyond safety education, the company also distributed protective gear, including helmets, reflective jackets, and safety goggles, to enhance rider visibility and reduce vulnerability during night travel.
Addressing participants, Unit Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Assistant Corps Commander Sulaiman Oluwadumiye, cautioned that excessive speed remains a leading culprit in road fatalities.
He explained that high speed reduces a rider’s ability to detect hazards and brake effectively, adding that the risk becomes even more severe when articulated trucks are involved, as their limited visual range can conceal smaller vehicles in deadly blind spots.
“Speed is sweet: the engine sounds powerful, the road looks open, and you feel in control. But the same speed that feels good for one minute can destroy a family in another second. The road has no respect for confidence or experience. There is no medal for the fastest driver, only sorrow for the careless one.”
One of the key sessions focused on identifying and avoiding a truck’s four major blind zones: directly in front, behind, and along both sides. Facilitators used live demonstrations with motorcycles and a stationed truck, leaving many riders shocked at how easily they could vanish from a truck driver’s line of sight.
“Most crashes involving motorcycles and trucks happen because riders unknowingly enter these danger zones, recalling a recent fatal incident in which a rider overtook a truck from the wrong side and disappeared into a blind spot,” Oluwadumiye said.
Head of Transport and Safety at the Ibese Plant, Peter Abuad, led practical demonstrations to reinforce the message. “If you are in any of these blind spots, the truck driver does not know you’re there. Avoid them at all times. Dangote Cement Ibese is committed to ensuring safety and improving lives.”
Health, Safety and Environment representative for Dangote Cement Transport (Nigeria & Pan Africa), Mrs Ebere Okonkwo, described the campaign as part of the company’s broader mission to promote responsible road use and foster safer interactions between heavy-duty trucks and other road users.
“Safety is a shared responsibility. This programme teaches drivers and riders how to identify blind spots and equips them with safety kits. Overspeeding, impatience, and miscalculations remain leading causes of preventable road accidents. We urge riders to prioritise safe habits, especially as we approach the New Year when traffic volumes peak,” she added.
Officials from the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency (TRACE) and the Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO) commended Dangote Cement for sustaining its public-safety initiatives.
The event culminated in a road show through key areas of Ilaro, reinforcing the campaign’s core message: in the Ember months and beyond, patience and responsibility, not speed, are the true safeguards of life.