LASTMA warns against highway skating

The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority has warned against the use of rolling skate shoes and other wheeled footwear on highways, noting that such devices leave users dangerously exposed to moving vehicles.

The agency said the risk was particularly high when users of the footwear attempted to glide alongside traffic, cross carriageways or manoeuvre through busy roads without protective equipment or adult supervision.

In a statement on Sunday by LASTMA’s Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department, Adebayo Taofiq, the agency said the warning covers highways, expressways, bridges, service lanes and other vehicular corridors across Lagos State.

LASTMA urged parents, guardians, schools and caregivers to prevent children and other vulnerable road users from using the footwear for recreation on roads.

The authority advised users to restrict skating activities to designated recreational facilities, private compounds and other areas suitable for the activity.

“The simultaneous movement of vehicles, motorcycles and pedestrians means that those using rolling skate shoes on such roads could struggle to react quickly to sudden changes in traffic, potentially resulting in serious crashes and life-changing injuries,” the statement read.

The agency recommended the use of helmets, knee pads, elbow pads and other protective equipment when using the footwear in appropriate locations.

The General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, was quoted in the statement as urging motorists to be “particularly vigilant around children and young people using wheeled footwear, especially in residential areas, estates and school zones.”

“No recreational activity should justify exposing users or other road users to avoidable danger,” Bakare-Oki added.