ONE PASSENGER DIES IN GBAGADA TRUCK CRASH AS LASTMA’S SWIFT INTERVENTION PREVENTS FURTHER CATASTROPHE.

…Bakare-Oki Mourns Deceased, Cautions Heavy-Duty Vehicle Operators Against Excessive Speeding

The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) responded to a tragic midnight road traffic incident involving a fully laden Mercedes-Benz six-tyre truck (ABJ 37 AC), which overturned around the TREM axis of Gbagada, inward Oshodi.

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Security findings indicate that the truck, which was conveying assorted consignments, including numerous sealed bags and newly branded event chairs, was travelling at considerable speed when its front tyre suddenly burst, resulting in the driver losing control of the vehicle.

In the ensuing struggle to stabilise the truck, an elderly male passenger seated in the front cabin flung out of the vehicle and struck his head against a sharp object. The impact proved fatal, resulting in his instantaneous death.

LASTMA’s Night Rescue Team, which was conducting strategic surveillance of vehicular movements across major traffic corridors in the State, promptly mobilised to the accident location and immediately condoned off the accident scene.

The operatives immediately evacuated the deceased from the busy carriageway into a Lagos State Emergency Medical Services (SEHMU) ambulance, thereby eliminating further exposure of the victim and preventing the possibility of another catastrophic incident involving approaching motorists.

The rescue and traffic management operations received substantial inter-agency support, with personnel from Pedro Police Division providing essential security reinforcement, while officers of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service equally participated in the emergency response.

In a deliberate effort to forestall secondary collisions and protect other road users, LASTMA personnel strategically positioned traffic cones and deployed appropriate emergency warning signals to demarcate the accident location, enhance motorists’ visibility and ensure the safe management of approaching traffic.

The overturned truck, due to the considerable volume and nature of its cargo, could not be immediately recovered. Consequently, arrangements were made for transloading the assorted consignments into another empty truck before the vehicle was fully recovered.

The General Manager of LASTMA, Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki expressed heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family, describing the fatality as a painful and avoidable loss that underscores the grave consequences of compromised road safety practices.

Bakare-Oki particularly condemned excessive speeding, describing it as a dangerous driving disposition that substantially diminishes a driver’s reaction time, compromises vehicle stability and aggravates the severity of road traffic incidents, especially when unexpected mechanical failures occur.

He maintained that the devastating consequences of the incident could potentially have been less severe had the truck been travelling at a reasonably controlled speed, notwithstanding the sudden tyre explosion.

The General Manager consequently issued a stern advisory to operators of heavy-duty vehicles, commercial transporters and other motorists particularly during this ember months to embrace responsible driving practices, undertake regular mechanical inspections and pay meticulous attention to tyre conditions, braking systems and other critical vehicle components before commencing their journeys.

He further emphasised that drivers must exercise exceptional composure and appropriate vehicle-control techniques whenever confronted with sudden mechanical complications, rather than allowing excessive speed to transform an otherwise manageable mechanical failure into a fatal tragedy.

According to him, roadworthiness, speed moderation and strict compliance with established traffic regulations are indispensable prerequisites for safe motoring, particularly for operators conveying heavy consignments across densely populated urban highways.

The LASTMA helmsman reaffirmed the Authority’s unwavering commitment to proactive traffic surveillance, rapid emergency response, strategic inter-agency collaboration and the preservation of human lives across Lagos State.

Adebayo Taofiq
Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department of LASTMA.