A reckless one-way driver has caused the death of a tricycle rider in a tragic Lagos road crash.
LASTMA confirms the fleeing SUV driver abandoned his vehicle, prompting a full police investigation.
SEE ALSO: LASTMA Nabs Suspected Hit-and-Run Driver After Fatal Crash
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has confirmed that a commercial tricycle rider was killed in a fatal road accident caused by a driver who took a one-way route and later fled the scene.
The General Manager of LASTMA, Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki, made the announcement through a statement issued on Sunday by the agency’s Director of Public Affairs, Mr. Taofiq Adebayo.
According to the statement, the tragic incident took place at Origan, near Oko-Afo, along the Badagry Expressway in Lagos State. The accident involved a commercial tricycle with registration number MUS 716 QM and a Mercedes-Benz 4MATIC SUV with the custom number plate “OSUNFNKE.”
Investigations revealed that the SUV driver was driving against the approved flow of traffic, heading from Ile-Epo toward Oko-Afo. This wrong-way movement, often referred to as driving “one-way,” directly led to a collision with the oncoming tricycle.
Bakare-Oki explained that the head-on collision caused fatal injuries to the tricycle rider. He said, “The operator suffered severe trauma, including a dislocated knee, and was confirmed dead at the scene.”
In what officials described as a shocking and irresponsible act, the SUV driver reportedly fled the scene immediately after the crash, abandoning both his vehicle and the lifeless body of the tricycle rider.
“LASTMA officials quickly secured the site and escalated the matter to the Morogbo Division of the Nigeria Police Force,” Bakare-Oki said. He added that police officers arrived at the scene and took control, while officials from the Federal Road Safety Corps moved the deceased’s body to the mortuary at Badagry General Hospital.
To prevent further disruption to traffic, LASTMA officers removed the damaged tricycle and SUV from the road and handed them over to the police for proper investigation and likely prosecution.
Condemning the act, Bakare-Oki described the SUV driver’s behavior as reckless and a serious violation of traffic laws. “This death highlights the deadly consequences of traffic lawlessness,” he said, while expressing sorrow over the needless loss of life.
He also criticized the ongoing trend of disobedience among drivers despite repeated awareness campaigns and strict enforcement measures. “This tragedy could’ve been avoided had the driver obeyed traffic signs and regulations,” he stated.
He concluded by calling on all motorists to drive responsibly and respect traffic rules to prevent more avoidable deaths. He offered heartfelt condolences to the victim’s family and urged the public to value life and avoid dangerous behavior like wrong-way driving.
