In Nigeria today, Ember months are known for high accident/incident rates.

Well, for those who may not

know what Ember months mean, these are the last months of the year comprising of September, October,
November, and December. Ember months usually come with gradual subsiding of the rains and
encroachment of the Harmattan haze. These Harmattan hazes fuel fire outbreak in marketplaces, offices,
worship centers, farms, bushes, etc.

As part of our commitment towards the safety of lives and property of Nigerians during these Ember months,
Deslog Energy Services Limited has designed simple precautionary measures you need to take. Now, let’s
examine these 5 safety measures to adopt during Ember months.

1. Road safety: Ember months come with high rates of car crashes. Therefore, Deslog Energy Services Limited
encourages all Nigerians to observe these road safety measures:

i. Obey all road safety signs and traffic light.

ii. Don’t be in a hurry to get to your destination. Speed kills!!

iii. Endeavour to avoid night travels, but if you must travel at night, ensure you drive gently and in the
company of other vehicles in case of eventuality.

iv. If you are travelling on a commercial bus at night, stay close to the driver to always ascertain his level of
alertness at every instant. Furthermore, board the bus of a known transport company.

v. Your life is precious to us, so, don’t drink and drive.

vi. Make use of your seatbelt while driving.

2. Electrical safety: Ember months always record high rates of electrical fire outbreaks in public places like
markets, church, malls, homes, etc. Electrical fires are often difficult to control. Therefore, you must adopt
these electrical safety measures to avoid fire outbreak:

i. Always switch off your electrical appliances if not in use.

ii. Make a checklist of all appliances in your workplace and ensure they are TURNED OFF before leaving your
workplace daily.

iii. If you have Lock out/Tag out (LOTO) policy in your workplace, endeavor to implement it.
iv. Kids below 3 shouldn’t be allowed close to electrical appliances like extension, electric kettles, electric
stove, electric iron, etc. to avoid shocks and electrocution.

v. Don’t manage faulty electrical appliances in your homes and workplaces. If your electrical appliance starts
acting up, Isolate it until it is fixed. And if it cannot be fixed, replace it at once.

vi. Danger exists in having exposed power cables in your home/office. So, trunk all power cables
appropriately.

3[b]. Safe use of fuels[/b]: Fuels are materials which could ignite fire outbreak if not properly handled. They
exist in solid (as in papers), liquid (like kerosene) and gaseous (as in cooking gas) forms. Gases and liquids
have high ignition temperatures than solids because their atoms are in constant motion – meaning they are
more likely to expedite fire outbreak.

So, we at Deslog Energy Services Limited strongly believe that safe use of fuels must be one of your 5 safety
measures to adopt during Ember months. Therefore:

i. Don’t allow your kids close to cooking gas cylinders in your home. Turn off your cooking gas cylinder if not
in use. Children below 4 shouldn’t be allowed to enter the kitchen in the absence of a caregiver.

ii. Do not store petrol (Premium Motor Spirit) in jerry cans in your home. But if you must store it, have a
designated generator house where it is kept safely.

4. Fire Safety: Fire is one of the major causes of accident during Ember months because the air becomes
dryer, thus encouraging chain reaction of fire. Take these simple steps to prevent fire outbreak and/or control
fire if there is a fire outbreak:

i. Train (and re-train) your staff in practical firefighting using fire extinguishers and other methods available to
you

ii. Have fire extinguishers mounted at strategic points around your home, store, shop, and office. Make no
mistakes; DCP (Dry Chemical Powder) fire extinguishers must be recharged every six months so that the
content doesn’t cake. Identify the class of fire your office, stall, and room are prone to and have the right fire
extinguishers positioned there.

iii. Have a functional fire alarm system and practice fire drills accordingly.

iv. Ensure you have an emergency exit and free muster point in your facility/workshop, office, etc.
v. Have fire fighters’ (or fire service) emergency numbers of your state published at strategic points in your
home and office. This way, you can call them if there is a fire outbreak.

vi. As a trader, understand that your shop is prone to fire hazards and take the steps mentioned above.

vii. Practice good housekeeping in your home, office, market, shop, etc. The risk of fire outbreak is hugely
reduced in an environment where good housekeeping is practiced.

viii. Avoid bush (and farms) burning during Ember months.

5. Reorient your mind: Some Nigerians, most especially commercial bus drivers, believe that Ember months
are a reminder that it is time to double their hustle, if you will, and make more money in order to impress
their loved ones. These people need attitude change in this regard. At Deslog Energy Services Limited, lives
and property of Nigerians matter to us so those with this Ember month misconception towards making
money must change it now. Ember months will always come and if you don’t make it this year, you can try
next year IF you are alive and healthy.

As a driver, in order to avoid exposing yourself to avoidable road mishaps occasioned by the quest to “make
it” before Christmas, you need to change your attitude towards Ember months and making money.

In conclusion, as part of our corporate social responsibility at Deslog Energy Services Limited, we have
mapped out these 5 safety measures to adopt during Ember months for all staff, partners, associates, clients
and by extension all Nigerians. These safety tips are viable and reliable. Enlighten your colleagues and loved
ones with these tips. Make safety a watchword these Ember months so that we will have a healthy nation.
Furthermore, ensure you adopt these safety measures in your market, office, church, mosque, school, etc.

This is because the desire to build the Nigeria of our collective dreams is only achievable if we have citizens
with sound minds and health. Safety is everyone’s business and responsibility, and you must take it seriously
today! Stay safe and enjoy these Ember months.

September-December are seen in Nigeria as dangerous months for travel. Sadly, many can't help a
trip or two in this time. Get safe driving tips to do so with style!
Introduction
Transportation is a veritable vital tool for the progress of any economy, because it is the only means
through which producers and consumers exchange goods and services, and so thrive in business. In
 Nigeria, the months September through December are known as a period of hectic activity on roads.
Peolple use this end of year period to engage in business, and travel to visit loved ones living far
away.

The higher demands for travelling is, the more likely road accidents happen. That's
why Naijauto brings you here safe driving tips during Ember months in Nigeria!

Following a safe road guide will keep you and your family safe in the months ahead
Unfortunately, as they move from place to place, unforeseen occurrences come their way as
accidents constantly happen. The result of these accidents have claimed many lives and damaged a
lot of properties. However, you can easily ply the roads safely during this period by avoiding some of
the usual causes of these road mishaps. This tips will help you if you obey them strictly.

Driving mistakes you must avoid during Ember months in Nigeria

 Overloading
Don't overload your vehicle, wether it is a commercial bus or a family minivan. Many drivers place
their safety at risk by overloading their vehicles. Overloading vehicles does not only increase the
pressure on the suspension and other vehicle components, but makes it difficult to steer the vehicle
safely when challenging road conditions come up. It also causes the tires to overheat, which
increases dangerous chances of failure or blow-outs.

Again, it drives the brakes to do extra work as  the pressure is more than normal. It could then lose
its effectiveness to stop the car when the need arises. This singular misbehavior does not only put
the driver at risk but also the passengers and other road users.

 Over-speeding
 Excessive speeding is a leading cause of car accidents that greatly increase the risk of death or injury
for motorists. Over-speeding is a category that encompasses two different types of behavior. The
first is driving at a higher level than the approved speed limit on a particular stretch of road. The
second is driving at a speed that is too high for the safe control of the vehicle, given the condition of
the roads. Not only does over-speeding cause crashes, it also leaves serious injuries to people
involved. Particularly, over-speeding is more likely to cause death when the road is wet.

Alcohol is also a major factor in many speed-related crashes. Over-speeding often results from
negligence, and it can be a major cause of accidents. You could try installing a speed limiter device
like the FRSC has been advising drivers to do.

>>> More safety tips for you: Security tips every road traveller in Nigeria must know

Over-speeding is one of the top killers on Nigerian roads 

 The indiscriminate use of siren by the political class
Much of the city’s noise is unnecessary. The political class in Nigeria use their sirens in a way that can
wake even the dead. So, when a driver in a vehicle three cars ahead is unsure of where the sound is
coming from, it causes him to try to swerve the car to leave the road for a safer place. While doing
this, it might result in a collision with other oncoming cars or even other pedestrians.

When you hear a siren, do not panic. Slow down, find out the source of the siren, and carefully make
way.

 Late night road travelling

 This is a major cause of accidents, and is a habit you ought to stay away from these ember months. It
is a very dangerous journey because Nigerian roads are full of potholes that even very careful drivers
can’t escape from. During the day, they are not even motorable not to talk of night-time.

Another worrisome thing in this is, even at night, the visions of most drivers are weak. This prevents
them from taking note of road signs, broken vehicles or abandoned ones. On another note, traveling
by night can increase the risk of encountering security challenges like kidnapping and armed robbery.

>>> Save yourself! Check  6 ways to protect yourself from Nigerian traffic robbers

Avoid late night traveling as much as you can, instead leave a day before you need to be there
Also at night, the passengers may not be able to control their drivers, not because they can’t, but
because they are not in good position to do so. Most passengers sleep off immediately their buses
zoom off so they are not aware of what is going on in their vicinity or in the car.

 Distractions while driving

Another habit you must avoid these months is being distraced while driving. Distractive activities
include texting and calling while driving, playing music too loud, and any other thing that takes your
mindand eyes off the road.

>>> Use your phone wisely! See  Safe ways for using your mobile phone while driving
 Texting and driving is not just dumb, it will get you arrested
 Reckless driving of commercial vehicles drivers
Some drivers are very reckless while driving. They see themselves as the kings of the road, so they
park, stop and swerve the car indiscriminately, and funny enough, they involve themselves in a car
race to know who the senior or junior is. While doing this, they mistakenly hit pedestrians who are
crossing, traders or even bystanders. This can result in grave injuries or even deaths. All these acts
are very dangerous to road users and needs to be looked into if we want people to be safe. If you are
travelling by a commercial bus, try to make sure it is a line with a proven record for safety.

The implications of these have put the road transportation at greater disadvantage than advantage.
For example, presently, in some parts of Nigeria, the number of deaths that are caused by road
accidents is greater than that of insurgency. This is happening at a very alarming rate.

>>> All drivers, especially commercial ones should master Checking for blind spot - what you need to do.
Click on!
Recommended safety measures for Ember months travelling
To ensure every Naija individual when travelling in Ember months suffers least risk, people of all
classes should consider these following approaches.

 Road users must be enlightened through campaigns to jettison the spiritual belief that ember months
should be dreaded.
 Road users must ensure that their vehicles are road-worthy before, during or after the ember months
to prevent road accidents.
 The political class should desist from using sirens to show-off, flaunt their influence and positions,
harass or scare other road users.
 The employers of drivers and transportation companies should ensure that their staff and drivers go
on trainings on how well to use the roads, and also acquire safe driving skills.
 Government on their part should try to fill up the potholes on the roads.
 Travelers can also explore other modes of travel such as air and rail. 

Rail transportation is now a valid option in Nigeria

If all these are followed adequately, they will keep people safe in the remaining months of the year
and even beyond.

>>> You can always get  safety tips and  maintenance information  on naijauto.com

Security tips every road traveller in Nigeria must know

09/10/2019
 
Posted by: Oluwaseun Adeniji
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Taking long trip could be exciting. Yet, it could expose you to crime-related activities on the road.
Click here for security tips for road travellers in Nigeria!
As the most populous black nation in the world, Nigeria is blessed with loads of talented and creative
people. Yet, you cannot rule out the presence of those who takes solace or survive on crime. There is
naturally an urge to compete for available resource with the ever growing human population in the
country. So, it is not far-fetched from reality if crime rate also increases. There is always a constant
movement of people across the road networks within Nigeria, using all forms of transportation. Many
at times, stories, videos and pictures were shared of people who encountered different forms of
robberies on the road, or other kinds of crime-related activities. Road is unarguably the most used
transportation route in the country. This is a more reason why different kinds of activities happen
right on the road.

Here on Naijauto.com, we will be sharing with you important security tips for road travellers in
Nigeria that will prevent you from losing your valuables to these road criminals whenever you are
taking a long trip from one place to another within the country.
1. Update your vehicle’s documents and driver’s license
To avoid any kind of delay that could expose you as easy target for this hoodlums on the road, you
should ensure that all the documents needed for verification on the road are well up to date and
complete. Road criminals usually use different forms of delay on the road such as barring of bad
roads, traffic, law enforcement officers or even routine checks from road safety officers to rid the
travellers of all their valuables, including their lives at times.

>>> Please refer to this guideline for complete instructions:  Detailed guidelines for Vehicle Particulars
Renewal in Nigeria
 Get all required documents and readily available in your car to avoid being delayed on the highway
When your documents are complete, you will have less of a worry since the routine check shouldn’t
take more than ten minutes. When these officers notice any irregularities with your documents, it
would take a lot of time and might turn you to a sudden victim to these criminals since the road
safety officers are mostly without ammunition to protect you.

2. Always lock the doors, window and avoid unnecessary stopover

Make sure the windows are winded up; doors locked and a bit of space for ventilation if your car
doesn’t have a functioning air conditioner. This means, you might allow some air to enter but it
shouldn’t be too wide to prevent any form of forceful entering or opening by the criminals on the
road. If you need to make a stop to buy few things on the roads, do it at safe spot. If possible, get all
what you would need at the market before you embark on the long trip.

>>> This is of utmost importance when it comes to traffic gridlocks - the specialty of Lagos:  5 tips to stay
safe in traffic jam in Nigeria
 Always be vigilant at hawking spots along the road when embarking on long trip
3. Keeping it simple
You should avoid attracting unnecessary attention for a safe travel experience. Refrain from
unnecessary altercation or argument as this could be a technique used by these criminals to dispose
you of your properties. Avoid drawing crowd to you unnecessarily when you engage in some forms
of verbal exchange of words on the roads.

4. Engage more in daytime travelling

The most perfect time for road criminals to perpetuate their evil acts is at night. This time will
provide them with less chance of being caught by road security or law enforcement agents. When
you engage in night travelling, it exposes you and other travellers around to danger. This doesn’t
mean they don’t carry out these criminal activities during the day but they usually love exploiting the
darkness that looms at night.

>>> If you must travel at night, make sure your car won't break down in the middle of nowhere:  10 car
components to check before a road trip
 Avoid night trip as much as possible. daytime is the safest time to travel
If your journey entails travelling for more than a day or long our night driving, you could as well take
a stopover at city center and proceed with your journey when the coast is clear. You never can tell,
your vehicle could break down in the middle of nowhere in the dark, which makes you a perfect
target to them.

5. Avoid unnecessary picking of passengers by the roadside

This has put a lot of people into trouble in Nigeria, especially along the expressways. You can only
pick people along the road if you are operating a commercial transport business. For private car
owners, you should value your safety and that of loved ones by not endangering them while picking
random people by the roadside, out of nowhere. Criminals love using this humanitarian and
benevolent gesture of good Nigerians as an opportunity to cart away with their valuables.
 You could put yourself to big trouble by picking up random people by the roadside in deserted places
6. Refrain from publicizing your travel plans
Always keep your travel’s plan to yourself and possibly, your family members. Not all road kidnapping
or other crime-related activities are done randomly. Some are carried out based on the information
supplied to these criminals about your movement.

>>> Another tip for you when travelling in Nigeria: Having feeling of  being followed? This is what you
should do
In as much as it could be a bit difficult to be totally safe on the road, especially on deserted road in a
long trip, it is much advisable to move with as few valuables as possible. It is very unsafe to move
around or travel with huge amount of money or expensive valuables.

Transport union should also ensure commercial buses for long trips are in perfect road condition, to
prevent breakdown of vehicles in an unknown or quiet location. This could expose the passengers to
a lot of dangers.

Please, stay safe!

 6 ways to protect yourself from Nigerian traffic robbers
07/24/2019
 
Posted by: Chris Odogwu
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
Seatbelt safety: Are you using yours right? - 11/17/2020


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Nigerian traffic robbery is common. Many people have been seriously injured and even killed in the
process. Find out how to behave if you ever find yourself in such a situation.
If you have never been robbed in Nigerian traffic, especially in such place as Lagos, you probably
know someone who has been robbed or heard stories about it. It might seem farfetched that robbers
could attack in broad day light, let alone in traffic, but it happens often in Lagos.

This wouldn’t come as a surprise to people who live in Lagos or are conversant with the city. It’s a
very bustling place where a lot of things happen. The commercial hub of Nigeria, everyone is all
about the hustle. While some are working hard to earn a legitimate living, others are looking for
devious ways to do that. And robbing is one of the illegitimate ways some people take to.
 Always stay alert to avoid these guys!
Life in Lagos and in Nigerian cities is a survival of the fittest. As you go about driving your car, you
have to be on the alert for robbers. They could steal your valuables and hurt you in the process if you
aren’t careful.

Naijauto.com has put together this article to give you heads-up so you wouldn’t be a victim like
many others. Check below for 6 tips to handle traffic robbers in Nigeria!
1. Keep your cool
The first thing an attacker does to its victim is to shake him/her up. They do this by either showing
you a weapon or coming at you. If your windscreen is wined up, they might break it. This act alone
could scare the hell out of you, making you to lose total control.

Don’t give them the satisfaction. Remain calm. Chances of people coming to your rescue if you shout
for help are slim. In Lagos, people like to mind their business because no on is to be trusted. When
you are calm, the degree of violence will be reduced.

2. Don’t fight back

Some people, especially men, may want to fight back. No one likes to be taken advantage of. Fighting
back might seem like the brave thing to do. But you have to consider your safety. You have no idea
what kinds of weapons they have. If you fight back, they might get upset and inflict serious harm on
you. Unless you have a well-planned self-defense technique, don’t throw a punch.

Don't ever think you can fight back! Retreat, I repeat!

>>> Please, jungle justice must be eliminated!   Angry mob sets suspected traffic robber on fire in Lagos
3. Look away from their eyes
Looking robbers directly in the eye during any form of attack is not safe. Many people have been
reported to have lost their lives because they maintained eye contact with their attacker. They might
get the impression that you are trying to take note of their face, so you can recognize them later.

Look downwards as they talk to you. If they ask you any questions, answer them with a “Sir” or “Oga”
attached to it. Most people who attack others suffer from low self-esteem. This show of respect from
you could make them go easy on you.

4. Do as you are told

The moment they attack you, let them know that you are willing to cooperate with them. Robbers go
crazy when they notice that their victim is trying to be stubborn. Do exactly as you are told. Traffic
robbers are out to steal from you. When they get what they are looking for, they’ll leave you alone.
Standing up to them in any way could make them hurt you or even kill you. Let them take whatever
they want; you can always get another one.
5. Speak in simple language
The average robber isn’t educated. He/she cannot speak good English. A typical robber who would
attack you in Lagos traffic speaks either or both of these languages: Yoruba and/or Pidgin. The best
thing to do is to communicate in the language the robber speaks. If he/she speaks Yoruba, answer
them in Yoruba if you speak the language. If you don’t, speak Pidgin.

Speaking clean English might seem like you are trying to show off. Such people already feel cheated
by the society. Your polished grammar could make them take out their frustration on you.

Don’t answer questions you weren’t asked. It’s a question and answer segment. When they ask a
question, you answer the exact same question.

Most street robbers are low-educated & hate those showing off their clean English.
6. Don’t undermine the robber
People have lost their lives because they undermined robbers. Bravery is a good thing, but you
shouldn’t throw caution to the wind. Sometimes, you just have to simmer down.
Follow the robber’s instructions to the latter. Don’t assume that they don’t have a strong weapon just
because you can’t see one. Remember that the main aim of an average robber is to steal something
from you and not to harm you, let them have what they want.

Despite security measures put in place by the government, traffic robbery is still happening in Lagos.
Ensure that you wine up all your windscreens while in traffic. Don’t buy anything. Some robbers front
as hawkers, and attack people who try to patronize them.