Dare Babalola
Five people have been injured in a crash involving a Mazda commercial bus at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos on Monday, after the driver, allegedly speeding, experienced a sudden mechanical brake failure, leading to a collision with the toll gate infrastructure.
The incident was confirmed in a statement signed by Adebayo Taofiq, the Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA).
The statement read, “Findings indicate that the driver of the commercial bus operating at an excessive and unsafe speed experienced a sudden mechanical brake failure. This catastrophic malfunction caused the vehicle to lose directional control and violently collide with the toll gate media infrastructure, resulting in severe bodily harm to all occupants, including the driver.”
LASTMA operatives were immediately deployed to the scene, promptly securing the affected axis and initiating coordinated rescue operations, according to Taofiq.
The statement confirmed that two critically injured passengers were immediately transported to a nearby medical facility by public-spirited individuals, while the Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS) evacuated the remaining three victims including the driver for urgent medical intervention.
To guarantee a secure, orderly and obstruction-free rescue environment, Officers of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) provided indispensable security reinforcement throughout the emergency operation, effectively averting secondary incidents and ensuring seamless medical evacuation.
The General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki expressed profound concern over the persistent spate of speed-induced crashes on major arterial routes across the State.
He conveyed his heartfelt wishes for the swift and full recovery of all injured passengers, while reiterating the Authority’s unwavering resolve to safeguard lives and property on Lagos roadways.
Bakare-Oki issued a stern admonition to motorists particularly operators of commercial vehicles against the perils of excessive speeding and the deployment of mechanically deficient vehicles on public roads.
He stressed the imperative for drivers to remain perpetually safety-conscious, moderate their speed and anticipate unforeseen mechanical failures, noting that prudence, vigilance and strict adherence to traffic regulations constitute the most reliable bulwark against preventable tragedies.
LASTMA once again calls on all road users to embrace responsible driving culture, prioritize routine vehicle maintenance, and cooperate fully with traffic regulatory authorities in the collective quest to entrench safer, more orderly and accident-free roadways across Lagos State.
