The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has warned children, teenagers and young adults against using roller skates, wheeled footwear and similar devices on public highways, citing the risk of serious and avoidable accidents.
LASTMA General Manager, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, gave the warning in a statement on Sunday in Lagos, urging parents, schools and caregivers to prevent children from skating on highways, expressways, bridges, service lanes and other areas open to vehicular traffic.
Bakare-Oki said the increasing use of footwear fitted with concealed or retractable wheels on roads designed for motorised traffic posed a serious safety concern, particularly when users glide alongside moving vehicles, cross carriageways or manoeuvre through traffic without adequate supervision.
He said public highways were unpredictable environments where vehicles, motorcycles and pedestrians moved simultaneously, leaving users of wheeled recreational devices with limited ability to respond to sudden changes in traffic.
“This creates circumstances capable of culminating in devastating collisions and life-altering injuries,” he said.
LASTMA advised users to restrict skating activities to designated recreational facilities, private compounds and other areas specifically suited for the activity.
The agency also urged those who skate to use appropriate protective equipment, including helmets, knee and elbow pads.
Bakare-Oki called on motorists to exercise extra caution around children and young people using wheeled footwear, particularly in residential areas, estates and school zones where they could suddenly enter the traffic stream.
He said road safety was a collective responsibility and urged the public to report dangerous traffic situations, road obstructions, crashes, breakdowns and other incidents requiring urgent intervention through LASTMA’s toll-free short code, 3367.
He said prompt reporting would help relevant responders intervene more quickly.
