A 55-year-old motorist narrowly escaped death after a moving train smashed into his Honda car at the Public Works Department (PWD) railway crossing in Lagos, extensively damaging the vehicle in an incident that could have ended in tragedy.
The collision involved a train travelling towards Agege and a Honda car with registration number EKY 902 JT.
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) disclosed in a statement on Friday that its operatives, working alongside security personnel, rescued the driver and removed the wrecked vehicle from the railway track.
The intervention enabled the train to resume its journey, but traffic congestion persisted around the PWD axis following the incident.
LASTMA said the damaged vehicle was subsequently handed over to security personnel for investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding the collision.
Although the agency did not disclose the immediate cause of the incident, it renewed its warning to motorists against taking risks at railway crossings, particularly when a train is approaching or already in motion.
The agency’s General Manager, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, commended the LASTMA operatives and security personnel for their prompt response, noting that their coordinated intervention demonstrated the importance of collaboration in managing emergencies involving railway operations and adjoining roads.
Bakare-Oki urged motorists to exercise extreme caution when approaching railway crossings and designated train corridors, warning that reckless driving in such areas could result in devastating consequences.
He stressed that “reckless disregard for railway safety protocols could precipitate devastating and irreversible consequences.”
The LASTMA boss called on road users to comply strictly with established traffic and railway safety regulations, emphasising that responsible driving and obedience to safety instructions were essential to preventing avoidable collisions.
The agency further stressed that the preservation of human life must remain paramount in all road-use decisions, urging motorists not to endanger themselves and other road users by attempting to cross railway tracks when it is unsafe to do so.
Railway crossings are potentially dangerous points where road traffic and train operations intersect. Unlike cars and other road vehicles, trains require considerable distance to stop and cannot readily swerve to avoid an obstruction on the tracks.
Consequently, attempting to cross in front of an approaching train can lead to severe injuries, loss of life and extensive property damage.
The latest collision at the PWD railway crossing highlights the dangers associated with disregarding railway safety precautions in Lagos, where busy road corridors intersect with rail infrastructure.
While the circumstances surrounding the incident remain subject to investigation, LASTMA has reiterated the need for motorists to observe railway safety rules and avoid risky manoeuvres that could turn a preventable incident into a fatal disaster.