Dare Babalola
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has expressed concern over the increasing cases of one-way driving in Lagos, after a serious crash on the Odo Iya-Alaro Bridge in Maryland left a delivery motorcyclist with a severe leg fracture.
The incident happened early Monday, following a truck fire on Ikorodu Road that had left the area with heavy traffic congestion. The fire’s aftermath caused a long jam, setting the stage for the crash.
According to Adebayo Taofiq, Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department of LASTMA, in the midst of the heavy traffic, a private ambulance (BED 508 EA) carrying a pregnant woman on oxygen support reportedly drove the wrong way at high speed.
It collided with a delivery motorcyclist who was riding in his proper lane, leaving him with a severe fracture to his right knee.
LASTMA officials at the scene immediately alerted the Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS), which deployed two ambulances for emergency response. The pregnant woman, along with her life-support system, was transloaded into one ambulance, while the second conveyed the injured rider to a nearby hospital for urgent medical attention.
The ambulance driver was arrested and handed over to the Ogudu Police Division for further investigation and possible prosecution.
Both the ambulance and the wrecked motorcycle were later removed from the scene and transferred to the Ogudu Police Division as police officers provided security backup throughout the rescue operation.
General Manager of LASTMA, Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki, reiterated the agency’s zero-tolerance stance on one-way driving, warning that emergency vehicle operators must also adhere strictly to traffic regulations to prevent avoidable tragedies.
He wished the injured motorcyclist and the pregnant woman a speedy recovery and reaffirmed LASTMA’s commitment to ensuring safety and order across Lagos traffic corridors.
