The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has issued a warning to children, teenagers, and young adults against using rolling skate shoes, wheeled footwear, and similar devices on public highways. According to LASTMA's General Manager, Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki, such practices expose users to unnecessary traffic hazards. He emphasized that public highways are dynamic environments with simultaneous movement of vehicles, motorcycles, pedestrians, and other road users, making them unsuitable for recreational activities involving wheeled devices.
Bakare-Oki noted that the increasing use of footwear with concealed or retractable wheels on roads designed for motorized traffic constitutes a serious safety concern. He cited instances where users attempt to glide alongside moving vehicles, cross carriageways indiscriminately, or maneuver through traffic without adequate protective measures and adult supervision. LASTMA observed that these practices can lead to devastating collisions and life-altering injuries.
Unlike designated recreational facilities, public highways are highly unpredictable environments that require users to be constantly vigilant. The introduction of wheeled recreational devices into such spaces can significantly diminish a user's ability to respond to sudden vehicular movements. This can create circumstances that culminate in accidents, making it essential for users to restrict their activities to designated recreational areas, private compounds, or other safe environments specifically suited for skating.
LASTMA strongly advises parents, guardians, schools, and caregivers to discourage children and other vulnerable road users from engaging in recreational activities involving roller skates on highways, expressways, bridges, and service lanes. They should also be discouraged from engaging in such activities in other locations where vehicular traffic is permitted. Instead, users should utilize appropriate protective equipment, including helmets, knee pads, elbow pads, and other safety gears.
Bakare-Oki reiterated that road safety is a collective responsibility that requires constant vigilance, discipline, and respect for the inherent risks associated with public roads. He emphasized that the preservation of human life must remain paramount, noting that no recreational activity is sufficiently important to justify exposing oneself or other road users to unnecessary danger. Motorists should exercise heightened vigilance around children and young persons using wheeled footwear, particularly within residential areas, estates, school zones, and other locations.
The LASTMA boss urged members of the public to promptly report dangerous traffic situations, road obstructions, crashes, breakdowns, and other incidents requiring urgent traffic-management intervention through the LASTMA toll-free short code 3367. This facilitates timely intervention by relevant responders, ensuring that road users are protected from harm. By working together, the public can help prevent accidents and promote a safer environment for all road users.
In conclusion, LASTMA's warning serves as a timely reminder to the public, especially children and young adults, of the dangers associated with using wheeled footwear on public highways. By adhering to the authority's advice and restricting recreational activities to designated areas, users can minimize their risk of being involved in accidents and ensure a safer environment for all road users.
Key points
- The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority warns against using rolling skate shoes on public highways, citing grave traffic hazards and risk of devastating collisions.
- LASTMA advises users to restrict recreational activities to designated areas and utilize protective equipment to minimize risk of accidents.
- The authority urges the public to report dangerous traffic situations through the LASTMA toll-free short code 3367 to facilitate timely intervention.
