A 55-year-old motorist escaped without injury after a moving train collided with his Honda car at the PWD railway crossing in Lagos on Friday, leaving the vehicle extensively damaged and causing traffic congestion around the area.

The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) said the train was travelling towards Agege when it struck the car, with registration number EKY 902 JT.

In a statement signed by its Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment, Adebayo Taofiq, the agency said the collision left the vehicle virtually written off, although no casualty was recorded.

“Notwithstanding the severity of the impact and the considerable destruction sustained by the vehicle, the motorist miraculously escaped without any reported injury, with no casualty recorded at the scene,” the statement said.

Emergency response

LASTMA said its officers, working with security personnel and other responders, helped remove the damaged vehicle from the railway track after the collision.

An earlier traffic update issued at 7:20 a.m. said onlookers had pushed the car off the tracks while traffic officers managed the resulting congestion.

“Their timely and coordinated intervention was instrumental in clearing the obstruction and enabling the train to resume its journey towards Agege,” the agency said.

However, traffic congestion persisted around the PWD axis even after the railway track had been cleared.

The wrecked vehicle was subsequently handed over to security personnel for investigation into the cause of the collision.

LASTMA General Manager, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, commended the personnel involved in the response and urged motorists to exercise caution when approaching railway crossings.

He warned drivers against attempting to cross the tracks when a train was approaching or already in motion.

“The Authority maintains that the preservation of human life must remain paramount in all road-use decisions,” the statement said.

The agency urged motorists and other road users to comply with traffic and railway safety regulations to prevent avoidable collisions.