Three persons have been killed and 20 others injured in a road crash involving a Toyota Hiace bus and a Volkswagen Golf car at Tonkere town, along the Ife-Ilesa Expressway in Osun State.
The accident, which occurred on Saturday, involved 23 people comprising nine males, 11 females and three children — two boys and a girl.
The Osun State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Mr Sunday Adebayo, confirmed the casualties in a statement issued in Osogbo.
According to him, the three fatalities comprised two females and one male, while the 20 other victims sustained various degrees of injuries.
Adebayo attributed the crash, based on preliminary findings, to speeding and dangerous driving, warning motorists against behaviours capable of endangering their lives and those of other road users.
He said the accident prompted the immediate deployment of FRSC rescue teams from Ile-Ife and Ilesa to the scene to evacuate victims and manage the aftermath of the collision.
The injured victims were subsequently taken to a hospital for medical treatment, the sector commander disclosed, although he did not identify the facility where they were admitted.
The incident has again highlighted the dangers posed by excessive speed and other forms of reckless driving on major highways, particularly routes experiencing heavy vehicular movement.
Adebayo urged motorists plying the state’s highways to exercise greater caution and comply with traffic regulations, stressing that driving at a safe speed could reduce both the likelihood and severity of road crashes.
He noted that motorists had a responsibility not only to protect themselves but also to safeguard the lives and property of other road users.
The sector commander assured residents that the FRSC would continue its enforcement operations, public enlightenment campaigns and other road safety initiatives across Osun State as part of efforts to curb crashes and prevent avoidable deaths.
He called for greater cooperation among motorists and other road users, stressing that road safety remained a collective responsibility requiring discipline and caution from everyone using the highways.
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