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 across the state.
The General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, gave the warning in a statement issued on Sunday in Lagos, describing the practice as a serious safety concern capable of exposing users to avoidable traffic hazards.
Bakare-Oki said the increasing use of footwear fitted with concealed or retractable wheels on roads designed primarily for motorised traffic was particularly dangerous when users attempted to glide alongside moving vehicles, cross carriageways indiscriminately or manoeuvre through traffic without adequate protection and adult supervision.
According to him, public highways are dynamic and unpredictable environments where vehicles, motorcycles, pedestrians and other road users move simultaneously.
He warned that introducing wheeled recreational devices into such environments could reduce users’ ability to respond appropriately to sudden vehicular movements, potentially resulting in serious collisions and life-threatening injuries.
The LASTMA boss urged parents, guardians, schools and caregivers to discourage children and other vulnerable road users from skating on highways, expressways, bridges, service lanes and other areas where vehicular traffic is permitted.
He advised skating enthusiasts to restrict the activity to designated recreational facilities, private compounds and other safe environments suitable for skating.
Bakare-Oki also stressed the need for appropriate protective equipment, including helmets, knee pads and elbow pads, whenever such activities are undertaken.
He said road safety remained a collective responsibility, requiring vigilance, discipline and respect for the risks associated with public roads.
“Motorists should exercise heightened vigilance around children and young persons using wheeled footwear, particularly within residential areas, estates, school zones and other locations where vulnerable road users may suddenly enter the traffic stream,” he said.
Bakare-Oki urged members of the public to report dangerous traffic situations, road obstructions, crashes, vehicle breakdowns and other incidents requiring urgent traffic management intervention through LASTMA’s toll-free short code, 3367.
