An elderly man fell from a moving vehicle and died when the front tyre burst around the TREM axis of Gbagada, inner Oshodi, Lagos State.
This was revealed in a statement on Sunday by Adebayo Taofiq, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority’s spokesperson.
According to Taofiq, the driver lost control of the fully laden Mercedes-Benz six-tyre truck with registration number ABJ 37 AC when the tyre ruptured while it was moving at a high pace.
He mentioned that during the incident, an elderly passenger sitting in the front cabin was thrown out of the truck and struck his head on a sharp item.
“An elderly male passenger sitting in the front cabin was thrown out of the vehicle and struck his head against a sharp object in the ensuing struggle to stabilise the truck,” Taofiq said.
“The impact proved fatal, resulting in his instantaneous death.”
He mentioned that the LASTMA Night Rescue Team, which was monitoring key traffic routes, quickly reached the location and secured the perimeter.
According to him, the team evacuated the deceased from the busy carriageway into an ambulance belonging to the Lagos State Emergency Medical Services to prevent further danger to road users.
Taofiq added that personnel from the Pedro Police Division and the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service also supported the emergency response.
The flipped truck, because of the significant size and type of its load, could not be promptly retrieved.
“Therefore, plans were established for transferring the various shipments into another vacant truck prior to the vehicle being completely retrieved,” he stated.
In response to the incident, LASTMA’s General Manager, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, offered his condolences to the bereaved family, calling the incident a tragic and preventable loss.
Bakare-Oki criticized excessive speeding, stating that it diminished drivers’ reaction times, compromised vehicle stability, and heightened the severity of road accidents, especially during mechanical failures.
He observed that the outcome of the incident might have been less serious if the truck had been moving at a regulated speed, even with the unexpected tyre blowout.
The LASTMA leader urged operators of heavy-duty vehicles, commercial transporters, and other drivers to drive responsibly, conduct regular vehicle checks, and be attentive to the state of their tyres and braking systems.
He also urged drivers to stay composed and keep proper control of their vehicles when encountering unexpected mechanical issues.
Bakare-Oki reiterated the agency’s dedication to traffic monitoring, emergency response efforts, and cooperation with other organizations to ensure safety on Lagos roads.
It was announced on Saturday that two different traffic accidents on the Sagamu-Ikorodu Expressway and Iroko Road in Ogun State resulted in the deaths of three individuals.
Babatunde Akinbiyi, the representative for the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency, confirmed that the incidents involved trucks and tricycles, with seven additional individuals suffering different levels of injuries.
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