The Federal Road Safety Corps has said the multiple road crashes that led to the death of no fewer than five people in the Nasrul-Lahi-Li Fathi Society of Nigeria corridor along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on Wednesday were caused by dangerous driving.
The FRSC Chief Route Commander, Florence Okpe, who spoke with our correspondent further confirmed that the multiple crashes left about 10 passengers with varying degrees of injuries.
Our correspondent learnt that the accidents involved two trucks and a commercial bus.
PUNCH Metro gathered from an eyewitness identified as Oladele Abraham that the multiple accidents were caused by the recklessness of one of the truck drivers, leading to an unavoidable collision with another truck and a commercial bus.
Abraham, who is also a roadside mechanic in the area, said, “The truck driver going towards Ibadan made a sudden U-turn without indication, and the other truck going towards Lagos on top speed attempted to avoid colliding with the truck by making a sharp turn into the other side of the road.
“Unknown to him, a commercial bus with several passengers onboard was on the way, and that was it.”
When contacted, Okpe confirmed the accident and said 15 people were involved in the multiple crashes.
She said, “The crash occurred at about 0956 hrs on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway around NASFAT. A total of 15 people were involved, which comprised 11 male adults and four female adults. Also, 10 people, including six males and four females, were seriously injured, while five people were killed in the multiple crashes. All five casualties are male.
“Three vehicles were involved with registration numbers KUT561ZZ DAF truck, GGE84YF Toyota Hiace bus, and the third vehicle, aMan diesel truck, has no registration number on it.”
She described the cause of the crash as “dangerous driving” on the part of one of the trucks that made a sudden U-turn without any indication to alert the truck behind, which led to loss of control on both the truck and the commercial bus.
She added, “The injured victims were taken to Famobi Hospital Mowe while the corpses were deposited at Idera Hospital morgue sagamu. It was a combined rescue operation; the FRSC, police, and other sister agencies were all on the ground managing the situation.
“The Sector Commander cautions motorists on speed and reckless driving and that any driver involved in a crash that claims lives will be prosecuted forthwith to serve as a deterrent to recalcitrant drivers.
“He is pained over the incessant crashes, especially along the corridor axis, and further advised motorists to shun speed and drive defensively for safety purposes.”
