The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, has warned children, teenagers and young adults against using rolling skate shoes and other wheeled footwear on public highways, bridges and other busy roads.
The warning was issued over concerns that the practice could expose users to serious traffic hazards, especially when they move alongside vehicles, cross roads without care or manoeuvre through traffic.
In a statement by its Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department, Adebayo Taofiq, LASTMA said public highways are primarily designed for vehicular movement and can be unpredictable environments for vulnerable road users.
The authority said wheeled recreational devices could reduce users’ ability to respond quickly to sudden vehicle movements, potentially leading to collisions and life-threatening injuries.
LASTMA advised parents, guardians, schools and caregivers to discourage children from using rolling skate shoes on highways, expressways, bridges, service lanes and other roads where vehicles operate.
It urged users to restrict skating activities to designated recreational areas, private compounds and other safe locations.
The authority also recommended safety equipment such as helmets, knee pads and elbow pads.
LASTMA General Manager Olalekan Bakare-Oki said road safety remained a collective responsibility requiring vigilance, discipline and respect for the dangers associated with public roads.
Bakare-Oki stressed that “preservation of human life must remain paramount,” adding that “no recreational activity should justify exposing individuals or other road users to unnecessary danger.”
LASTMA also urged motorists to be more careful around children and young people using wheeled footwear, particularly in residential areas, estates and school zones.
Members of the public were asked to report dangerous traffic situations, road obstructions, crashes and other emergencies through LASTMA’s toll-free short code, 3367.
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