Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) this day the 19th of October reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to expeditious emergency response, strategic traffic management and the preservation of human lives following a serious multiple-vehicle collision at Otedola, inward Berger, by Jubilee Gate, Lagos State.
The unfortunate incident which occurred during the morning rush hour, involved a Toyota Highlander and a Mazda commercial bus that collided on the main carriageway, leaving four passengers with severe injuries, including varying degrees of fractures.
Operatives of LASTMA, working in concert with officials of the Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS), demonstrated exceptional promptitude by swiftly mobilising to the scene, commencing rescue operations and instituting strategic traffic control measures to mitigate the immediate consequences of the collision.
The four severely injured passengers were promptly extricated from the accident scene by LASAMBUS personnel and conveyed to the Lagos State Accident and Emergency Centre at the Toll Gate for immediate medical attention.
The timely intervention of LASTMA operatives was particularly consequential, given that the collision occurred along a major transportation corridor experiencing substantial vehicular pressure during the morning peak period. Through their prompt, coordinated and professionally executed response, the operatives forestalled the potential occurrence of a secondary collision, thereby preventing further jeopardy to motorists, commuters and other road users.
Meanwhile, security personnel from the Isheri Police Division provided indispensable security reinforcement throughout the rescue and recovery operations, ensuring a secure operational environment for emergency responders and other personnel attending to the incident.
In furtherance of established road safety enforcement protocols, LASTMA operatives apprehended both drivers involved in the collision and handed them over to the police for comprehensive investigation and possible prosecution.
The two accident-involved vehicles were equally transferred to the appropriate security authorities to facilitate further investigative proceedings and establish the circumstances surrounding the unfortunate occurrence.
The General Manager of LASTMA, Mr Olalekan Bakare-Oki, commended the Authority’s operatives, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), LASAMBUS personnel and security operatives from the Isheri Police Division for their exemplary responsiveness, professional diligence and inter-agency synergy in ensuring the prompt rescue of the injured passengers and the effective management of the incident.
Bakare-Oki emphasised that the efficacy of emergency response operations is contingent upon prompt mobilisation, operational preparedness and seamless collaboration among relevant agencies, particularly in densely trafficked corridors where delays in intervention could aggravate the consequences of road traffic incidents.
He further reiterated the imperative of responsible motoring, scrupulous adherence to traffic regulations, prudent speed management and unwavering concentration while driving. He observed that preventable road traffic collisions continue to constitute a formidable threat to public safety, human lives and the seamless movement of people and goods across Lagos State.
LASTMA remains resolute in its determination to strengthen emergency response mechanisms, intensify traffic surveillance and sustain proactive enforcement operations in furtherance of its statutory mandate to safeguard lives, preserve public safety and ensure orderly vehicular movements throughout Lagos State.
Adebayo Taofiq
Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department of LASTMA
