A woman has died in a road crash on the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos, while her 30-year-old daughter survived the incident, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) said on Tuesday.
The crash occurred at the Ilaje axis inward Iyana Oworo and involved two Toyota Sienna vehicles with registration numbers LSR 809 GV and LSR 695 HM.
According to a statement by LASTMA spokesperson Adebayo Taofiq, preliminary findings suggested that excessive speeding and reckless driving might have contributed to the head-on collision.
Mr Taofiq noted that LASTMA officials on routine patrol responded to a distress call and arrived at the scene shortly after the crash.
“They immediately secured the area with safety cones and initiated traffic control measures to forestall secondary accidents,” he said.
He added that operatives of the Nigeria Police Force from the Oworonsoki Division also arrived at the scene to document the incident and begin an investigation.
“The incident resulted in the loss of one female adult, a mother, while her 30-year-old daughter who was in the same vehicle survived the collision,” Mr Taofiq said.
The agency explained that the body of the deceased had been evacuated, while officials remained at the scene to manage traffic and prevent further accidents.
Mr Taofiq noted that one of the drivers involved fled the scene, while the other was apprehended by LASTMA officials and handed over to the police for further investigation and possible prosecution.
The General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, urged motorists to avoid reckless driving and comply with speed limits and other road safety regulations.
He reiterated the agency’s commitment to ensuring safety on Lagos roads.
Third Mainland Bridge disruptions
The Third Mainland Bridge, a major link between Lagos Island and the mainland, is one of the busiest transport corridors in the state and frequently records traffic disruptions caused by accidents, vehicle breakdowns and fire incidents.
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In January, PREMIUM TIMES reported that a high-capacity commercial bus caught fire near the Adekunle section of the bridge, causing significant traffic congestion towards the Iyana Oworo axis. No casualties were recorded, but emergency responders, including the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, were deployed to contain the blaze.
The bridge has also witnessed fatal crashes in recent years. In 2022, an accident near the Adekunle interchange claimed multiple lives, underscoring recurring safety concerns along the route.
More broadly, Lagos continues to record a high number of road accidents. Between January and September 2025 alone, LASTMA reported 1,006 crashes across the state, resulting in 87 deaths and 666 injuries, according to official data.
Within the same period, the Third Mainland Bridge and other major corridors, including the Otedola Bridge axis, recorded multiple early-morning and high-speed collisions, often linked to excessive speeding, poor visibility and disregard for traffic regulations.
The agency has repeatedly enforced traffic and safety measures on these routes due to heavy daily traffic, warning that even minor incidents can trigger widespread gridlock across adjoining parts of Lagos.