Truck Loses Control, Kills One In Lagos

A tragic accident occurred over the weekend along Osborne Road in Ikoyi, Lagos, when a Mercedes-Benz truck lost control and killed a pedestrian.

According to the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), it was reported that the empty Mercedes-Benz truck was travelling at high speed along Simpson Street, inward Ikoyi, when it suffered a mechanical brake failure near the Osborne Expressway traffic light junction.

In an attempt to avoid colliding with vehicles ahead, the driver lost control of the truck, which veered off the road and rammed into a pedestrian walking by the roadside. The victim reportedly died on the spot.

Confirming the incident, LASTMA’s spokesperson, Adebayo Taofiq, stated that the agency’s operatives promptly arrived at the scene, secured the area to prevent further accidents, and ensured the free flow of traffic.

According to him, the driver of the truck was apprehended and handed over to security personnel from the Dolphin Estate and Ikoyi Police Divisions for further investigation and legal action.

“Operatives of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), over the weekend, apprehended the driver of an empty Mercedes Benz truck with registration number KRD 466 XJ, following a ghastly road traffic accident that tragically claimed the life of an unsuspecting pedestrian after the vehicle suffered a mechanical brake failure while in motion at high speed.

“The fatal incident occurred along Simpson Street, inward Ikoyi, on Osborne Expressway by the Traffic Light Junction, when the truck, reportedly travelling at an excessive velocity, experienced a sudden brake malfunction.

“In a frantic effort to avert a collision with vehicles ahead, the driver lost control of the vehicle and, in the ensuing chaos, rammed into a pedestrian walking along the roadside instantly killing the victim,” Adebayo said in a statement.

Police officers later evacuated the deceased’s body to a mortuary in Ebute Metta, pending formal identification by family members.

The General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, described the incident as tragic and preventable.

He expressed condolences to the victim’s family and urged motorists, especially truck drivers and fleet operators, to ensure routine vehicle maintenance and thorough brake system checks before setting out on any trip.

Bakare-Oki emphasised that poor maintenance culture remains one of the leading causes of fatal road accidents in Lagos.

He commended the swift response of LASTMA operatives and security agencies, assuring that the Authority would continue to work with relevant bodies to enforce roadworthiness regulations and promote public safety awareness.

THE WHISTLER reports that in September, a pedestrian died following a tragic hit-and-run incident involving a reckless driver at the Ogudu flyover, inward Ifako, along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

The incident occurred when the driver of a Nissan Jeep, attempted to dangerously overtake a 40-foot articulated truck at high speed. In the process, the driver lost control of the vehicle, hit a male pedestrian, and crashed into the central median.

Rather than stop to assist, the driver allegedly tried to flee the scene.

However, traffic officers swiftly intercepted the suspect and handed him over to the Ogudu Police Division.