The Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Ikeja Branch, yesterday called on the Lagos State government and road safety agencies to enforce compliance with speed limits and the installation of speed-limiting devices, especially for heavy-duty vehicles on roads and bridges across the state.
The chairman of the branch, Nimot Muili, made the call while expressing the association’s concerns over a truck that lost control and fell off the Pen Cinema Bridge in Agege, Lagos, on Saturday.
Muili expressed deep concern over the accident involving a fully loaded truck with registration number GGE 624 YJ, which resulted in severe injuries to the driver and damage to two commercial buses.
She highlighted the urgent need for the stringent enforcement of road safety standards and added that there was a need for an immediate inspection of the Pen Cinema Bridge to assess and repair any potential damage to maintain its integrity and safety.
Specifically, she recommended the evaluation of the road surface and its impact to ensure continued durability and safe driving conditions, as well as a re-evaluation of the process and procedures for issuing Vehicle Road Worthiness certificates for commercial and long vehicles.
“The swift intervention by the Lagos State Transport Management Authority (LASTMA), Lagos State Emergency Management Authority (LASEMA), and the Police ensured the rescue of the injured driver and the quick clearance of the wreckage, restoring normalcy to traffic.
“We, therefore, advocate for strengthened collaboration between the NSE, Vehicle Inspection Officer (VIO), LASTMA, Police, and the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) on regular safety education and sensitisation for truck and bus drivers,” she said.
The society also commended the efforts of emergency responders and called on all road users, particularly heavy-duty truck drivers, to maintain heightened vigilance, especially during the rainy season.
According to her, adherence to road safety protocols remains critical to safeguarding lives and public infrastructure.
She pledged the branch’s commitment to supporting initiatives that enhance public safety, road infrastructure integrity, and professional engineering standards across Lagos State and Nigeria.
