Elderly Man Dies After Falling From Moving Truck in Lagos
Kehinde Adeleye
An elderly man has died after falling from a moving truck following a tyre burst around the TREM axis of Gbagada, inward Oshodi, Lagos State.
The incident involved a fully loaded Mercedes-Benz six-tyre truck with registration number ABJ 37 AC, which reportedly lost control after its front tyre burst while travelling at considerable speed.
The spokesperson for the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Adebayo Taofiq, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.
According to Taofiq, the elderly man, who was seated in the front cabin, was thrown out of the moving truck as the driver struggled to regain control of the vehicle.
He said the passenger struck his head against a sharp object during the fall and died instantly from the impact.
“In the ensuing struggle to stabilise the truck, an elderly male passenger seated in the front cabin was flung out of the vehicle and struck his head against a sharp object.
“The impact proved fatal, resulting in his instantaneous death,” Taofiq stated.
He explained that LASTMA’s Night Rescue Team, which was conducting surveillance along major traffic corridors, arrived promptly at the scene and cordoned off the area.
The team subsequently evacuated the deceased from the busy carriageway into an ambulance belonging to the Lagos State Emergency Medical Services to prevent further danger to other road users.
Personnel from the Pedro Police Division and the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service also participated in the emergency response.
Taofiq added that the overturned truck could not be immediately recovered because of the volume and nature of its cargo.
He said arrangements were therefore made to transfer the assorted goods into another empty truck before the damaged vehicle could be removed.
Reacting to the incident, LASTMA General Manager, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, expressed condolences to the family of the deceased, describing the tragedy as a painful and avoidable loss.
Bakare-Oki condemned excessive speeding, noting that it reduced drivers’ reaction time, affected vehicle stability and increased the severity of road accidents, particularly when mechanical failures occurred.
He maintained that the consequences of the incident could have been less severe if the truck had been travelling at a controlled speed despite the sudden tyre burst.
The LASTMA boss urged operators of heavy-duty vehicles, commercial transporters and other motorists to drive responsibly, conduct regular vehicle inspections and pay close attention to the condition of their tyres and braking systems.
He also advised drivers to remain calm and maintain proper control of their vehicles whenever they encounter sudden mechanical faults.
Bakare-Oki reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to traffic surveillance, emergency response and collaboration with other relevant agencies to protect lives and ensure safety on Lagos roads.
