All drivers of trucks, tankers, and articulated vehicles have received a warning from the Lagos State Government to abide by speed restrictions and traffic laws.
The warning was issued in a statement on Sunday in Lagos by Mr. Sola Giwa, Special Advisor to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Transportation.
He was responding to a fast collision that happened at the top of Apakun Bridge, near Oshodi, involving a privately owned car and a heavy-duty truck carrying compressed natural gas (CNG).
He cautioned that the Lagos State government would not think twice about applying the full force of the law to anyone found guilty of putting people’s lives in danger by driving carelessly or illegally.
Giwa claimed that preliminary security evaluations revealed that the vehicle, bearing EKY 120 YK, speeding, was in violation of established traffic safety regulations and collided into a moving silver-coloured Toyota Corolla (EKY 289 HM).
“The force of the collision precipitated severe traffic disruption and posed an immediate and existential threat to lives and property within the surrounding vicinity.
“In the unfortunate aftermath of the incident, two unsuspecting pedestrians were struck in the course of the collision, while the driver of the Toyota Corolla sustained grave and debilitating injuries,” he stated.
He pointed out that the injured individuals were successfully rescued and extricated from the wreckage by Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) officers who were quickly dispatched to the scene.
He added the affected pedestrians and the injured driver were quickly transferred to a neighboring medical facility, where they are today having intense and life-preserving medical treatment.
He stated that members of the Ajao Estate Police Division offered strong security reinforcement to protect public safety and uphold order during the rescue and evacuation operations.
“This forestalled secondary incidents and ensured an unhindered and seamless emergency response.
Additionally, members of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service and the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) were deliberately sent to the scene in knowledge of the inherent danger posed by the truck’s highly combustible contents.
Giwa denounced the startlingly high number of traffic accidents caused by careless speeding, especially among drivers of trucks, tankers, and other articulated vehicles.
He characterized such behavior as dangerously careless, egregiously reckless, and completely at odds with the Lagos State Government’s main goal of promoting a secure, well-organized, and effectively controlled transportation ecosystem. (NAN)
