A male passenger has died after a commercial Volkswagen bus crashed into a median pole at Ogunlana Junction, inward Ojuelegba, in the Fallout area of Surulere, Lagos.
According to the statement by the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, the fatal accident involved a commercial Volkswagen bus with registration number LND 130 XR and occurred along the Ojuelegba axis, where the vehicle reportedly veered violently into the median pole.
LASTMA said preliminary security reports indicated that the driver of the bus was allegedly under the influence of alcohol and had been driving recklessly and dangerously shortly before the crash.
Motorists approaching the vehicle from behind reportedly exercised caution in an attempt to avoid colliding with the erratically driven bus.
“In the ensuing pandemonium, a male passenger, apparently attempting to escape from the uncontrolled moving vehicle, jumped out of the bus and sustained grievous injuries upon impact with the ground. Tragically, the passenger subsequently succumbed to the injuries sustained in the incident,” LASTMA said.
LASTMA personnel carrying out routine traffic surveillance along the Ojuelegba axis quickly moved to the scene after sighting the crash.
The agency said its officers immediately introduced emergency traffic measures, secured the area and removed the deceased passenger and the badly damaged vehicle from the carriageway.
The swift response helped prevent the possibility of a secondary collision involving other motorists using the road.
Personnel from the Area C Police Division, Ojuelegba, secured the scene, while officials of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEHMU) arrived and evacuated the remains of the deceased passenger.
LASTMA said the incident was another reminder of the dangers associated with driving under the influence of alcohol, reckless driving and the use of mechanically defective vehicles on public roads.
The General Manager of LASTMA, Mr Olalekan Bakare-Oki, urged commercial and private motorists to carry out thorough checks on their vehicles before every journey.
He specifically advised motorists to pay attention to braking systems, tyres, steering mechanisms and other important safety components.
While expressing his condolences to the family of the deceased passenger, Bakare-Oki reaffirmed LASTMA’s commitment to responding promptly to road incidents, managing traffic effectively, clearing accident scenes quickly and protecting lives on Lagos roads.
He also urged members of the public to report traffic incidents, accidents, vehicle breakdowns and other obstructions to the Agency through the LASTMA toll-free short code.