Zebra Crossing! ...What’s that?

The Zebra crossing is a spot usually at busy places which aids pedestrians to cross roads safely. But investigations show that Nigerian motorists largely have zero-tolerance for pedestrians at the crossing.

The call to observe the highway code is borne out of the need to ensure that road users, pedestrians and those using the modern means of transportation, reach their destinations safely.

But the reverse is the case with Nigeria, where many motorists acquire the drivers’ license either through agents or any other person that is sufficiently influential, and neglect the highway code.

It has been observed that members of the Armed Forces, para military and even patrol vans, Bullion Vans, ambulance, fire fighting vehicles, and vehicles of those in power drive at top speed, thereby violating traffic rules and endangering the lives of the citizenry, especially the youngsters, and without any regard for what is known as pedestrian or zebra crossing.

New and teenage drivers, too, are all in a haste and do not consider their own safety and that of other road users and pedestrians. Most of the people, including drivers and pedestrians, say they do not know what the zebra crossing stands for.

Aliyu Abdullahi and Jamilu Musa have been driving cars for years, and confessed to hearing the name ‘zebra crossing’ for the first time. While few others said they know it, they added that some ‘mad’ drivers were always eager to either overtake, or are busy on their gsm sets while driving on the zebra spot. Thus, the people say they cannot use the spot appropriately for fear of being hit from behind.

The Head of the Federal Road Safety Commission, and the Head of Public Information in Kaduna, Chief Route Commander, DJangla Japthet Martin, said Zebra or Pedestrian Crossing is a location on the road which enables people/pedestrians to cross the road. It is usually painted in black and white colours.

He said by law, once any pedestrian steps on the zebra crossing, motorists and cyclists must stop for the pedestrian to pass. But it is also the responsibility of the pedestrian to ensure that the oncoming vehicles are not too close to him. This means you have to give motorist enough time to apply his breaks, or halt for you to pass. The reason of the zebra crossing is to enhance safety.

Zebra crossings are found at busy locations in the metropolis like the markets, schools, hospitals and other high density public places for people to cross without risking their lives. It is meant to give pedestrians the chance to cross without being knocked down.

Mr Djangla said in Nigeria, a lot of people don’t respect the zebra crossing. He said: “If you knock anybody at the crossing, you are liable. If the incident results in death, you will spend 7 years in jail. Motorists and cyclists should always slow down when they approach the Zebra crossing,and then continue to speed when you pass the crossing."

According to Wikipedia, Zebra crossings were introduced in the late 1950s and ‘60s to tackle high death rates of pedestrians crossing the roads. For nearly 60 years they have been recognised as a safe place for pedestrians to cross, but more recently, some drivers are failing to give way to pedestrians. It is believed that hundreds of people have died at the crossings and thousands more have been injured.

After isolated experiments, the zebra crossing was first used at 1,000 sites in the UK in 1949, in its original form of alternating strips of blue and yellow, and a 1951 measure introduced them into law. In 1971, the Green Cross Code was introduced to teach children safer crossing habits.

This has prompted some councils to install enforcement cameras at the crossings to catch offenders. In the United Kingdom, a fine of £60 and 3 points on your licence is given to those who fail to give way at the crossings. This has been criticised as too lenient with other countries enforcing up to £2000 fines.

However, if you fail to give way at a zebra crossing patrolled by a school crossing patrol (lollipop man/lady as they are commonly called) the fine rises to £1000 and a minimum of 3 points on your licence or even disqualification. In the UK, motorists have to stop for a crossing patrol/”lollipop man/woman” even if they are not patrolling a pedestrian crossing.

In the United Kingdom, lollipop men or women (crossing guards) frequently attend zebra crossings near schools, at the hours when schoolchildren arrive and leave. Their widely used nickname arose because of the warning sign they hold up as they stop traffic. It’s a large round disc on a long pole and thus resembles a giant lollipop. In Germany, Scandinavia, and most other European countries, pedestrians have right of way if they are still on the curb, but about to enter the zebra crossing.

In North America, zebra crossings are almost exclusively called (marked) crossroads and often do not incorporate stripes. In some areas, marked crosswalks are the only places where it is legal to cross the road. In New Zealand, motorists are required to give way to pedestrians. In Auckland, pedestrians wishing to cross the road within 20 meters of a crossing facility (which includes zebra crossings) must use a crossing facility.

It is disheartening that in most cities of Nigeria you see government officials violating traffic rules and regulations with impunity, by even driving on the foot-path and doing many other things which you cannot imagine.

It is high time for the government and all responsible authorities to sensitise motorists on use of zebra crossing and curb the abuse of the highway code in Nigeria.