A female driver has died after losing control of her vehicle and crashing into a roadside building at Mongoro, inward Ile-Zik, along one of Lagos’ busiest roads.
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) confirmed the incident in a statement issued on Sunday by its Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department, Adebayo Taofiq.
According to LASTMA, preliminary investigations indicated that the deceased was driving a Toyota Sienna with registration number LND 162 HB when she lost control of the vehicle, causing it to veer off the road and crash into a building.
“The deceased, who was driving a Toyota Sienna (LND 162 HB), lost control of the vehicle, which subsequently veered off the carriageway and violently rammed into a roadside building.
“The ferocity of the impact proved catastrophic, resulting in her instantaneous death. She was the sole occupant of the vehicle at the time of the unfortunate incident,” the statement said.
LASTMA said its officers, who were on routine patrol in the area, responded immediately by securing the crash scene and directing traffic to prevent congestion and secondary accidents.
The agency added that although the crash temporarily disrupted traffic flow, normal movement was restored within a short time through coordinated traffic management efforts.
Security personnel from the Afonka Police Post under the Shasha Divisional Police Headquarters also provided security during the evacuation operation.
Reacting to the incident, LASTMA General Manager Olalekan Bakare-Oki described the crash as a tragic reminder of the dangers of excessive speed and reckless driving.
“Every journey must be undertaken with prudence, patience and an unwavering commitment to established traffic regulations. No destination is worth the ultimate sacrifice of human life.
“Excessive speed remains one of the foremost causes of fatal road traffic crashes, and motorists must, at all times, exercise the highest degree of caution, restraint and responsibility while behind the wheel,” he said.
Bakare-Oki also urged motorists to ensure their vehicles are roadworthy before embarking on any journey and advised drivers to stop using vehicles showing signs of mechanical defects until they have been professionally repaired.
He extended the agency’s condolences to the family of the deceased and prayed for the strength to bear the loss.