A bill seeking to reduce frequent accidents by petroleum trucks on Nigerian roads on Tuesday scaled through  second reading at the floor of the Senate.

The bill, sponsored by Senator Ifeanyi Ubah (YPP, Anambra South), seeks to make consequential provisions towards safe transportation of petroleum products across the country.

He said the bill was inspired by the urgent need to promote safety in the transportation of petroleum products using trucks, and eliminate practices inimical to freight traffic and petroleum haulage in Nigeria.

“It also seeks to promote the welfare of tanker drivers by ensuring investments in Truck Transit Parks (TTPs) and related transport infrastructure,” he said.

The lawmaker recalled the high incidences of crashes by petroleum tankers over the years that often resulted into loss of lives and properties.

“According to a study by the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), between 2007 and 2010 alone a total of 4,017 tanker/trailer crashes were recorded on Nigerian roads with the yearly average of 1,148 cases and monthly average of 96 crashes,” Ubah said.