In the aftermath of the tragic road accident involving individuals connected to heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua, public outrage has followed a familiar Nigerian pattern: an urgent search for someone—or something—to blame. For many, that blame has settled conveniently on a parked trailer at the crash site.
While the emotions are understandable, especially given the loss of lives and the high-profile nature of the incident, facts must take precedence over sentiment. A careful examination of the video footage and photographs from the scene tells a very different story from the one currently circulating on social media.
The Trailer Was Parked Where the Law Permits
Contrary to public perception, the trailer involved in the incident was parked on the hard shoulder of the expressway. This is not an illegal act by default.
A hard shoulder is a designated part of a highway or expressway, clearly separated from driving lanes by solid white or yellow road markings. Its primary purpose is to serve as:
An emergency stopping area
A space for broken-down vehicles
Access for emergency and law enforcement services
This definition and usage are consistent not just in Nigeria, but across major road systems globally, including Europe, the United States, and parts of Asia.
Parking on the hard shoulder—especially due to mechanical failure or emergencies—is permitted under highway regulations, provided it is not abused for long-term or commercial parking.
A Hard Shoulder Is Not a Driving Lane
One critical fact being ignored in the public debate is that the hard shoulder is not a lane. It is not meant for:
Overtaking
Speeding
Bypassing traffic
Aggressive maneuvering
Nigerian highways are filled with visible warning signs cautioning motorists not to drive on or overtake via the hard shoulder. These warnings exist precisely because vehicles or obstacles may legally be present there.
When a moving vehicle collides with a stationary object parked within a legally designated emergency zone, the default assumption in traffic law—both locally and internationally—is driver error, not roadside obstruction.
What Authorities Actually Said
According to preliminary findings by the Nigeria Police and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), the primary causes of the crash were:
Overspeeding
Reckless overtaking
Failure to maintain proper lane discipline
These are violations that consistently rank among the top causes of fatal accidents on Nigerian roads.
At no point did official reports identify the parked trailer as the trigger of the crash. Yet, in the rush to indict Nigeria as a system—or to satisfy online outrage—some commentators have ignored these findings entirely.
The Unfair Habit of Blaming “Nigeria”
There is an unsettling trend where tragedies are instantly weaponised to portray Nigeria as uniquely incompetent, even when similar incidents occur worldwide under identical circumstances.
In many developed countries, removing a broken-down trailer from a freeway shoulder is not immediate. Heavy-duty towing:
Is expensive
Requires specialised equipment
Can take hours or even days depending on logistics
As a result, the standard practice in many jurisdictions is to cite and fine the vehicle owner, rather than instantly remove the truck.
Nigeria is not an exception in this regard.
Yes, Hard Shoulders Are Not Long-Term Parking Zones
That said, it is important to acknowledge one nuance: hard shoulders are not meant for prolonged parking. Vehicles—especially heavy-duty ones—should not remain there longer than necessary.
The FRSC routinely tows away cars that remain on hard shoulders for extended periods. However, towing a saloon car is vastly different from removing a fully-loaded trailer, which may weigh tens of tons.
This logistical challenge is global, not uniquely Nigerian.
The Core Issue: Driver Responsibility
Even if the trailer had been present for hours—or even days—the fundamental truth remains unchanged:
A stationary object on a legally designated emergency shoulder cannot cause an accident unless traffic rules are violated.
If:
Speed limits were obeyed
Proper lanes were maintained
Reckless overtaking was avoided
…the collision would not have occurred.
Conclusion: Grief Should Not Replace Facts
The loss of lives connected to Anthony Joshua is deeply painful, and public grief is justified. But grief must not cloud judgment or distort responsibility.
Blaming a legally parked trailer—or turning the incident into another blanket indictment of Nigeria—does not honour the victims, nor does it promote road safety.
What will prevent future tragedies is not outrage, but:
Strict adherence to traffic rules
Improved driver discipline
Consistent enforcement of road safety laws
Until Nigerian drivers treat highways with the seriousness they demand from the government, tragedies like this will continue—regardless of whether a trailer is parked on the shoulder or not.
0 Comments