Dare Babalola
A motorist lost his life and his wife suffered critical injuries when a truck carrying granite overturned onto their Toyota saloon car at Eleko Junction on the Lekki-Ajah Expressway in Lagos State on Thursday morning.
This was contained in a statement signed by the Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department of LASTMA, Adebayo Taofiq.
“Preliminary security briefings reveal that an articulated truck, heavily burdened with granite and travelling at an inordinate speed from the Epe axis, was approaching Eleko Junction when it reportedly experienced a catastrophic brake malfunction.
“The mechanical failure precipitated an abrupt loss of vehicular control, causing the truck to career off its designated path and collide forcefully with a Toyota saloon car travelling from Ajah inward Epe,” the statement partly read.
LASTMA said the impact caused the truck to overturn and crush the smaller vehicle, trapping the driver inside the wreckage.
The victims were reportedly rescued by agency officials, Federal Road Safety Corps personnel, and bystanders. The man was pronounced dead at the scene, while his wife, who suffered severe injuries, was rushed to hospital for emergency treatment.
The truck driver reportedly fled the scene immediately after the crash. Meanwhile, Akodo Police Division personnel provided security cover during the rescue operation.
The General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, described the incident as avoidable, urged motorists and truck drivers to ensure proper vehicle maintenance, and warned against reckless driving.
He further extended earnest prayers for the expeditious and full recuperation of the injured spouse, while reaffirming the Agency’s resolute commitment to the rigorous enforcement of traffic statutes, particularly against reckless driving, mechanical dereliction and egregious violations of established road safety protocols.
