The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has identified speeding, driver fatigue, overloading and driving against traffic as persistent violations among petroleum tanker drivers, warning that the practices continue to threaten road safety.

The FRSC spokesman, Osondu Ohaeri, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja on Sunday, highlighting the risks associated with transporting petroleum products and other goods using articulated vehicles.

Ohaeri said some tanker drivers exceeded speed limits to meet delivery schedules, despite the difficulty of bringing heavily loaded vehicles to a safe stop.

He stressed that the size and weight of tankers required extra caution, particularly when approaching bridges, bends and congested highways.

He also identified driver fatigue as a major risk, noting that some drivers undertook long-distance journeys, including trips from Kano to Lagos, overnight without adequate rest.

He warned that fatigue could impair concentration and reaction time, increasing the risk of losing control of vehicles.

The FRSC spokesman added that some operators overloaded their vehicles or transported additional goods alongside petroleum products, practices he said could compromise vehicle stability and endanger drivers and other road users.

Ohaeri attributed the persistence of the violations partly to poor driver attitudes and pressure to meet delivery deadlines, stressing that compliance with traffic regulations remained essential regardless of operational demands.

He said the corps had intensified safety education and enforcement while engaging transport operators and other stakeholders to improve compliance.

He also disclosed that the agency had achieved about 75 per cent success in issuing appropriate Class G driver’s licences to relevant operators to ensure they possessed the required qualifications.

According to him, the FRSC is also working with petroleum marketers and other industry stakeholders to strengthen safety standards throughout the transportation chain.

Ohaeri urged tanker drivers and operators to prioritise safety over delivery schedules, warning that violations involving vehicles carrying highly flammable products could have devastating consequences.