A head-on collision between a truck and a commercial tricycle on the Yenagoa/Amassoma Road, Bayelsa State, has claimed the lives of two students from Niger Delta University, Amassoma.
The accident which occurred on Wednesday also left other passengers of the ill-fated tricycle critically injured.
Residents attributed the accident to absence of road signs and overspending by drivers as the crash occurred at a bend on the road.
The truck negotiated the bend at high speed, lost control and hit the tricycle at top speed, crushing it.
A trader, Godspower Okilo told PUNCH Metro on Thursday that the truck driver was moving too fast, and by the time he realised the danger, it was already too late.
He said, “The Keke (tricycle) had no chance of escaping the danger because the tipper was already close to it.
“We’ve been complaining about reckless truck drivers on this road for years, but nothing changes.
“The dangerous impact left the tricycle damaged beyond recognition. Good Samaritans rushed to the scene, pulling survivors from the wreckage and transporting the injured to the Federal Medical Centre in Yenagoa.
“The bodies of the deceased were later evacuated to a nearby morgue.
“This incident has renewed calls for stricter traffic enforcement, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the State Police Command should intensify patrols, introduce speed breakers, and conduct regular safety checks on heavy-duty vehicles.”
Another resident of the area, Mrs. Ebike Ekain, said if the appropriate authorities do not act now, more lives will be lost to accidents in the nearest future.
The Yenagoa/Amassoma Road is without doubt the most dangerous road in Bayelsa State due to the number of accidents that occur every year.
The reconstruction of the stretch from the Etegwe Roundabout to Tombia Community resulted in several turns which motorists do not consider as they often drive at dangerous speeds.
The Federal Road Safety Commission usually dispatches an ambulance to the road which is stationed at Tombia Community and sometimes at the roundabout leading to Agudama-Ekpetiama Community.
Spokesman for the Bayelsa State Police Command, DSP Musa Muhammad, who confirmed the accident, said investigation is ongoing to unravel the cause of the accident.
“Yes, an accident happened there and we are investigating the causes of the accident,” he stated.
