The Senate passes the FRSC amendment bill, proposing tougher penalties for traffic violations

The Senate has passed the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) (Amendment) Bill 2026, which proposes stiffer penalties for various traffic offences, including a ₦50,000 fine for anyone found vending, trading or preaching in a commercial vehicle.

The law, which is awaiting President Bola Tinubu’s assent, aims to strengthen road safety enforcement by increasing fines and prison sentences for offenses deemed to be a major cause of road accidents and unsafe driving practices.

One of the main provisions in this bill is a clause which states that carrying out hawking, trading or preaching activities on a commercial bus is an offense. Anyone found guilty under the proposed law will be liable to a fine of ₦50,000 if found guilty.

According to lawmakers, this provision is intended to reduce interference with commercial vehicles, increase passenger safety and improve order during public transportation.

The amendments also introduce stricter penalties for motorists who refuse to comply with roadside breath tests conducted by Federal Highway Safety Corps officials if there is a reasonable suspicion of impaired alcohol levels. Violators will be subject to a fine of ₦50,000, six months in prison, or both.

The bill further increases the penalty for driving under the influence of alcohol or intoxicating substances from the current fine of ₦5,000 to ₦100,000. Convicted violators can also face up to two years in prison or fines and prison terms.

Drivers who ignore traffic lights, road signs, pavement markings and other traffic control devices will also face a fine of ₦100,000 under the proposed law.

Similarly, the penalty for exceeding the posted speed limit has been increased from ₦5,000 to ₦100,000, while reckless driving will also attract a fine of ₦100,000, imprisonment of up to two years, or both, depending on the circumstances of the offence.

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The revised legislation contains a comprehensive schedule of 52 traffic offenses and the penalties accompanying each of them, representing one of the most extensive reviews of sanctions under the FRSC Act in recent years.

The Senate said the amendments aim to increase the law enforcement capacity of the Federal Highway Safety Corps, encourage greater compliance with traffic laws and reduce the alarming rate of traffic accidents across the country.

If signed into law by President Tinubu, the amended legislation will result in stricter law enforcement measures and much higher penalties for traffic violators as part of broader efforts to improve safety on Nigeria’s roads.