Commercial driver dies in autocrash on Lagos-Apapa Expressway

The crash involved a commercial minibus and a Toyota Tundra, with the minibus driver dying from injuries sustained in the collision.

A commercial driver was killed in a motor crash along the Lagos-Apapa Expressway on Tuesday, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has said.

In a statement by the agency’s spokesperson, Adebayo Taofiq, the crash involved a commercial minibus and a Toyota Tundra, with the minibus driver dying from injuries sustained in the collision.

“Preliminary investigations conducted by security personnel at the scene revealed that the driver of the commercial minibus sustained grievous injuries and died instantly due to the devastating impact of the collision,” Mr Taofiq said.

He said LASTMA officials, who were on routine patrol in the area, responded promptly to the incident by coordinating emergency operations, securing the crash scene and managing traffic to minimise disruption along the busy expressway.

According to the statement, the deceased driver’s body was released to his family at the scene.

Mr Taofiq added that the wrecked vehicles were subsequently evacuated from the road and handed over to the Nigeria Police Force for further investigation.

“The vehicles were thereafter handed over to the Nigeria Police Force for exhaustive investigation into both the immediate and remote causes of the crash, with a view to determining liability and facilitating any necessary legal proceedings,” he said.

He noted that despite the disruption caused by the accident, the swift intervention of LASTMA personnel helped restore the free flow of traffic on the affected section of the expressway within a short time.

The latest incident adds to a string of fatal crashes recorded on major highways in Lagos in recent months, renewing concerns over road safety and motorists’ compliance with traffic regulations despite ongoing enforcement by traffic management authorities.

Reacting to the incident, the General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, expressed sympathy to the family of the deceased and urged motorists, especially commercial drivers, to obey traffic regulations and exercise greater caution on the roads.

“The General Manager of LASTMA conveyed his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family and admonished motorists, particularly commercial transport operators, to exercise heightened caution, maintain unwavering compliance with extant traffic regulations and cultivate a culture of responsible driving at all times,” the statement said.