One Dead As Suspected Drunk Driver Crashes Commercial Bus Into Median At Ojuelegba
OLORUNDARE ENIMOLA, Lagos
A passenger lost his life on Sunday following a lone road crash involving a commercial Volkswagen bus at the Ojuelegba area of Surulere, Lagos.
The accident occurred at Ogunlana Junction inward Ojuelegba, near the Fallout area, when the bus, with registration number LND 130 XR, reportedly veered off the road and rammed into a median pole.
According to the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), preliminary security reports indicated that the driver was allegedly under the influence of alcohol and had been driving recklessly moments before the crash. Motorists travelling behind the vehicle reportedly exercised caution in an attempt to avoid colliding with the erratically driven bus.
In the course of the incident, a male passenger reportedly jumped from the moving vehicle in an apparent bid to save himself. He sustained severe injuries after hitting the ground and was later confirmed dead.
LASTMA officials on routine traffic surveillance in the area responded immediately to the scene, secured the accident site, managed traffic and removed the damaged vehicle and the victim from the carriageway to prevent a secondary crash.
Personnel from the Area C Police Division, Ojuelegba, provided security at the scene, while officials of the State Emergency Management Agency evacuated the deceased.
Reacting to the incident, LASTMA General Manager, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, described the crash as another tragic reminder of the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol, reckless driving and operating mechanically defective vehicles.
Bakare-Oki urged both commercial and private motorists to carry out regular mechanical inspections of their vehicles, paying particular attention to brakes, tyres, steering systems and other critical safety components before embarking on any journey.
He also expressed condolences to the family of the deceased passenger and reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to prompt emergency response, efficient traffic management and rapid clearance of accident scenes to safeguard lives and ensure the free flow of traffic.
The LASTMA boss further appealed to road users to report accidents, vehicle breakdowns and other traffic-related emergencies through the agency’s toll-free emergency short code, 3367.
