Driver escapes death as truck overturns in Lagos

A yet-to-be-identified driver escaped death on Thursday after a 40-foot container fell along the Mile 2 area of Lagos State.

The incident, according to the spokesperson for the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, Adebayo Taofiq, on Thursday, happened at about 5 pm.

Taofiq said a black Toyota Jeep with number plate AAA 144 GU was impacted by the incident but the driver had miraculously escaped unharmed.

He added that the driver of the truck conveying the truck, however, sustained severe injuries.

In his words, “A serious accident occurred today near the Second Gate, heading inward towards Mile 2 around 5 pm, involving a fully loaded truck that overturned while attempting to manoeuvre at a high speed, narrowly missing a black Toyota Jeep, registration number AAA 144 GU.

“The truck driver, who sustained severe injuries, was swiftly rescued by officers from the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority and taken to the Apapa General Hospital for immediate medical attention.

“The driver of the Toyota Jeep miraculously escaped unharmed, despite his vehicle nearly being crushed by the 40-foot container.”

Reacting to the incident, the LASTMA General Manager, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, urged truck drivers to exercise caution while on the highway.

Bakare-Oki who spoke through Taofiqll commiserated with the injured victims and stressed that the agency would continue to enforce traffic laws across the state.

“The General Manager of LASTMA Mr Olalekan Bakare-Oki, extended his heartfelt sympathy to the injured truck driver and wished him a speedy recovery.

“He also stressed the need for truck drivers to exercise greater caution, reminding them of the critical importance of safety on the road, especially when transporting large and heavy loads.

“LASTMA remains committed to safeguarding all road users and will continue to enforce traffic laws to prevent similar incidents in the future,” Taofiq concluded.

Emergency responders at the scene of the incident included the Police and officials of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency.

According to Metro had on September 18 reported that a fatal accident which occurred when a minibus driver rammed into a truck driver in the CMS area of Lagos left one dead.

The truck driver, according to Taofiq, had stopped to attend to a mechanical fault when the speeding minibus collided with him, leading to his immediate death.