A dawn crash on the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway yesterday claimed the lives of a family of three, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has confirmed.
The accident occurred at the Secretariat, inward Otedola Bridge, involving an Audi, a Toyota Camry and a Toyota Corolla. Authorities said it was caused by a truck allegedly speeding beyond safe limits.
Preliminary reports indicated that the truck struck one of the cars from behind, forcing it into the path of two other oncoming vehicles in a fatal chain collision.
The father, mother and their young child died on the spot, leaving what officials described as a harrowing and avoidable tragedy. Two additional victims sustained serious injuries.
LASTMA disclosed that the truck driver fled immediately after the impact, abandoning his vehicle as he escaped from the scene.
Agency officers were said to have arrived swiftly, teaming up with other emergency responders to rescue trapped passengers and recover the deceased.
They extricated two victims from the wreckage and handed them to the Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS) for urgent medical attention.
The remains of the three deceased were recovered and transferred to the Lagos State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit (SEHMU).
The injured were taken to the Lagos State Emergency and Trauma Centre at the Toll Gate for further treatment.
Security backup was provided by officers of the Isheri Olowora Police Division, while LASTMA personnel cleared the wrecks off the highway to avert a secondary crash.
The rescue effort drew officers from LASTMA, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), LASAMBUS, SEHMU and the Lagos Fire and Rescue Service.
LASTMA General Manager, Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki, described the incident as an “unbearable tragedy,” mourning the loss of an entire family and offering prayers for the bereaved. He also wished the injured survivors a swift recovery.
Bakare-Oki lamented that the crash was avoidable, restating LASTMA’s warning against excessive speed, particularly by articulated and heavily loaded trucks.
He emphasised that speeding remains a leading cause of fatal road accidents and urged motorists to drive defensively and observe speed limits.
He added that LASTMA would sustain heightened traffic monitoring, strict safety enforcement and deeper collaboration with emergency agencies to curb preventable road
disasters.