54 common traffic violations, penalties in Nigeria

In Nigeria and some other parts of the world – commercial road users, drivers, and, notably, celebrities and influential figures, have increasingly been found guilty of various traffic violations.

PUNCH Online, following a check on the Federal Road Safety Corps website on Thursday, highlighted several significant road offences and their penalties.

According to the FRSC, the Notice of Offense Sheet, issued under Section 10(4) and 28(2) of the FRSC (Establishment) Act, 2007, and Regulation 220 of the National Road Traffic Regulations (NRTR), 2012, provides a detailed account of these infringements.

These include offences such as overloading, hospitals rejecting road accident victims, learners’ driving regulation violations, preaching or hawking in commercial vehicles, and light/sign violations, among several others.

Other offences include seat belt violations, speed limit violations, underage driving, use of siren violations, and use of a phone while driving.

Here is a look at 54 common traffic offences and the fines imposed:

1 Ascertainment Of Weight Violation – N2,000
2 Assaulting Marshal On Duty – N10,000
3 Attempting To Corrupt Marshal – N10,000
4 Caution Sign Violation – N3,000
5 Child Restraint Violation – N3,000
6 Child Sitting Position Violation – N3,000
7 Construction Area Speed Limit Violation – N3,000
8 Dangerous Driving – N50,000
9 Do Not Move Violation – N2,000
10 Driver’s Licence Violation – N10,000
11 Driving Right–Hand Steering Vehicle – N3,000
12 Driving Under Alcohol Or Drug Influence – N5,000
13 Driving With Expired/Without Spare Tyre – N2,000
14 Driving With Worn-Out Tyre – N3,000
15 Excessive Smoke Emission – N5,000
16 Failure To Cover Unstable Materials – N5,000
17 Failure To Fix Red Flag On Projected Load – N3,000
18 Failure To Move Over – N3,000
19 Failure To Install Speed Limiting Device – N3,000
20 Failure To Report Road Crash – N20,000
21 Fire Extinguisher Violation – N3,000
22 Fleet Operation Violation – N200,000
23 Inadequate Construction Warning Sign – N50,000
24 Instructors Permit And Training Violation – N2,000
25 Latching And Twist-Locks Violation – N5,000
26 Learners Driving Regulation Violation – N3,000
27 Light/Sign Violation – N2,000
28 Medical Personnel Or Hospital Rejection Of Road Accident Victim – N50,000
29 Obstructing Marshal On Duty – N2,000
30 Operating A Vehicle With Forged Documents – N20,000
31 Operating Mechanically Deficient Vehicle – N5,000
32 Other Offences/Violations – 3,000
33 Overloading – 10,000
34 Passengers’ Manifest Violation – N10,000
35 Preaching Or Hawking In Commercial Vehicle – N50,000
36 Projected Load In Excess Of Prescribed Limit – N3,000
37 Riding Motorcycle Without Using Crash Helmet – N3,000
38 Failure To Install Speed Limiting Device – N2,000
39 Road Marking Violation – N5,000
40 Road Obstruction – N3,000
41 Route Violation – N5,000
42 School Bus Violation – N2,000
43 Seat Belt Violation – N2,000
44 Speed Limit Violation –  N5,000
45 Unauthorized Removal/Tampering With Road Signs – N5,000
46 Underage Driving/Riding – N2,000
47 Use Of Phone While Driving – N4,000
48 Use Of Sirens Violation – N2,000
49 Vehicle Identification Tag Violation – N3,000
50 Vehicle Licence Violation – N3,000
51 Vehicle Mirror Violation – N3,000
52 Vehicle Number Plate Violation – N3,000
53 Vehicle Windshield Violation – N2,000
54 Wrongful Overtaking – N3,000

As cited from the website, the road agency noted that the “custody fee on impounded Motor vehicle and Motorcycle/Tricycle is N200.00 per day payable after the initial 24 hours of grace.”

It added that payment of the allotted fines must be made into the right account and a teller taken to the FRSC office where the booking was made.

“Please pay the prescribed fine(s) into the Federal Government Revenue Account in any of the commercial Banks or online using the Remita platform accessible through

“Select “Pay FG Agency; Select FRSC under MDAs; select “Offences” to pay for fines. Complete the other mandatory fields as applicable.

“Bring the teller/printout to the FRSC office where the booking was made.”