A passenger has been confirmed dead after the front tyre of an overspeeding, fully laden Mercedes-Benz truck burst, causing the vehicle to overturn around the TREM axis of Gbagada, inward Oshodi, Lagos State.
The spokesperson for the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Adeboye Taofiq, said in a statement on Sunday that the victim died after jumping out of the vehicle and hitting his head against a sharp object.
Mr Taofiq said the agency “responded to a tragic midnight road traffic incident involving a fully laden Mercedes-Benz six-tyre truck (ABJ 37 AC), which overturned around the TREM axis of Gbagada, inward Oshodi.
“Security findings indicate that the truck, which was conveying assorted consignments, including numerous sealed bags and newly branded event chairs, was travelling at considerable speed when its front tyre suddenly burst, resulting in the driver losing control of the vehicle.
“In the ensuing struggle to stabilise the truck, an elderly male passenger seated in the front cabin flung out of the vehicle and struck his head against a sharp object. The impact proved fatal, resulting in his instantaneous death.”
He stated that LASTMA’s Night Rescue Team was mobilised to the accident location and immediately cordoned off the scene before evacuating the deceased from the busy carriageway into a Lagos State Emergency Medical Services (SEHMU) ambulance.
LASTMA said its rescue and traffic management operations received support from personnel of Pedro Police Division, who provided essential security reinforcement, while officers of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service also participated in the emergency response.
It also stated that the overturned truck, due to the considerable volume and nature of its cargo, could not be immediately recovered, prompting arrangements for the transloading of the assorted consignments into another empty truck before the vehicle was evacuated.
LASTMA General Manager, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, expressed heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family, describing the fatality as a painful and avoidable loss that underscored the grave consequences of compromised road safety practices.
Mr Bakare-Oki condemned excessive speeding, describing it as a dangerous driving disposition that substantially diminishes a driver’s reaction time, compromises vehicle stability and aggravates the severity of road traffic incidents, especially when unexpected mechanical failures occur.
He maintained that the devastating consequences of the incident could potentially have been less severe had the truck been travelling at a reasonably controlled speed, notwithstanding the sudden tyre explosion.
Mr Bakare-Oki warned operators of heavy-duty vehicles, commercial transporters and other motorists, particularly during the ember months, to embrace responsible driving practices, undertake regular mechanical inspections and pay meticulous attention to tyre conditions, braking systems and other critical vehicle components before commencing their journeys.
He further emphasised that they must exercise exceptional composure and appropriate vehicle-control techniques whenever confronted with sudden mechanical complications, rather than allowing excessive speed to transform an otherwise manageable mechanical failure into a fatal tragedy.