The Lagos State Traffic Managem LASTMA ent Authority (LASTMA) has raised concerns over the growing use of rolling skate shoes on public roads, warning that what appears to be harmless recreation could expose children and other users to potentially devastating road crashes.
The Authority particularly cautioned children, teenagers and young adults against using footwear fitted with concealed or retractable wheels on highways, bridges, expressways and other corridors where vehicles are allowed to operate.
According to LASTMA, the danger becomes more acute when users glide alongside moving vehicles, cross carriageways without due caution or weave through traffic, where a sudden change in the movement of a vehicle could leave little time or space for escape.
In a statement issued by its Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department, Adebayo Taofiq, the Authority said public highways were not designed for recreational activities involving wheeled devices but for the simultaneous movement of motorists, motorcyclists and pedestrians.
LASTMA warned that the mobility offered by the footwear could become a serious liability in traffic because users may not be able to stop, change direction or respond quickly enough when confronted by an approaching vehicle.
The risk, it said, is particularly concerning for children and other vulnerable road users who may enter traffic streams unexpectedly, creating a dangerous situation for themselves as well as motorists attempting to avoid them.
The Authority therefore urged parents, guardians, schools and caregivers to prevent children from using rolling skate shoes on highways, expressways, bridges, service lanes and other areas exposed to vehicular traffic.
Rather than banning the recreational activity itself, LASTMA advised users to move it away from traffic, recommending designated recreational spaces, private compounds and other environments considered suitable for skating.
It also advised users to wear protective equipment, including helmets, knee pads and elbow pads, noting that appropriate safety gear could provide protection against injuries when falls occur.
The warning also carries implications for motorists, whom LASTMA urged to exercise heightened vigilance around children and young people using wheeled footwear, particularly in residential areas, estates and school zones.
LASTMA General Manager, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, said road safety required vigilance, discipline and respect for the risks inherent in public roads, stressing that the preservation of human life must remain paramount.
He maintained that no recreational activity should justify exposing users or other road users to unnecessary danger.
The Authority further urged members of the public to report dangerous traffic situations, road obstructions, crashes and vehicle breakdowns requiring urgent intervention through its toll-free short code, 3367.
LASTMA said prompt reports would enable relevant responders to intervene more quickly and help prevent potentially avoidable incidents from escalating
