A police officer and five men have been confirmed dead, and 13 others sustained varying degrees of injuries during multiple auto crashes that occurred around the Kara Bridge axis of Lagos State.
The four accidents that resulted in the deaths of these six persons and left the 13 others with injuries occurred within 48 hours around the Kara bridge end of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway in the state.
Of the four accidents, the second, third, and fourth auto crashes had death tolls, while passengers involved in the first sustained varying degrees of injuries.
The first accident involved two DAF trucks with number plates GGE 24 YJ & SBG 192 XB, with seven persons sustaining minor injuries due to overspeeding by the drivers on the road.
For the second accident, four people, including a police officer, died, and two people sustained injuries after two unidentified DAF trucks collided on the Kara bridge.
One of the injured victims was taken to AZ Hospital, Magboro, and the other to the Lagos State Accident & Emergency Centre, Ojota, for prompt medical care.
As gathered, the accident was attributed by eyewitnesses to both drivers’ speed violations and loss of control.
Among the deceased, who were all adult males, two died at the crash scene, while the other two died on arrival at the hospital and were declared Brought-In-Dead (BID).
As gathered, the accident occurred at 07:09 a.m. on Thursday when the five trucks were involved in a multiple collision, including a mini truck carrying biscuits, a trailer with sardines, a 40-foot containerized truck, a heavy-duty truck, and a tow truck on the bridge.
The third and fourth accidents had one fatality each on the ill-fated bridge within the period under review.
The Sector Commander, Corps Commander Kehinde Hamzat, stated that these crashes within a short timeframe around Kara Bridge underscore the dangers of speeding, loss of control, and poor night driving discipline along the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway.
Hamzat, according to FRSC Lagos Sector Public Education Officer, SRC Oluwadamilola Jayeola, stated that the operatives responded promptly to all crashes within minutes, ensuring quick rescue operations, removal of obstructions, and restoration of traffic flow.
Meanwhile, he appealed to all motorists, especially truck drivers and fleet operators, to obey all road traffic regulations, avoid overspeeding, distractions while driving, and night journeys, ensure vehicles are roadworthy and properly maintained, as well as always drive within speed limits and stay alert behind the wheel.
