The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority has raised concern over the growing number of speed-related crashes on major roads across the state, warning motorists against reckless driving and poor vehicle maintenance.
The General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, expressed the concern in a statement issued on Monday while reacting to a lone-vehicle accident involving a Mazda commercial bus along the Lekki Toll Gate inward Sandfield corridor.
Bakare-Oki said preliminary findings showed that the crash was caused by excessive speed, which led to a sudden mechanical brake failure. The failure caused the driver to lose control of the vehicle before it crashed violently into the toll gate median infrastructure, leaving five passengers with serious injuries.
He explained that LASTMA operatives were immediately deployed to the scene, where they rescued two critically injured passengers. The victims were transported to a nearby medical facility by public-spirited individuals.
According to him, the Lagos State Ambulance Service later evacuated the remaining three victims, including the driver, for urgent medical attention.
Bakare-Oki said officers of the Rapid Response Squad provided security support throughout the rescue operation to ensure a safe and orderly evacuation process and to prevent secondary incidents on the busy corridor.
He cautioned motorists, especially commercial vehicle operators, against speeding and the use of mechanically defective vehicles on public roads, stressing that such practices continue to endanger lives.
The LASTMA boss urged all road users to adopt responsible driving habits, carry out routine vehicle maintenance and cooperate with traffic authorities to promote safer and more orderly roads across Lagos State.
