LASTMA Intensifies Easter Traffic Management with Enhanced Personnel Deployment
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has ramped up its preparations for the upcoming Easter festivities, implementing a comprehensive strategy to ensure road safety and smooth traffic flow across the state. In a proactive move, the agency has deployed additional personnel and critical logistics while issuing a stern advisory to motorists, emphasizing the dangers of drunk driving, excessive speeding, and other unsafe road practices.
General Manager's Advisory on Road Safety During Festive Period
General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, delivered the advisory as Lagos anticipates a significant increase in human and vehicular movement during the holiday period. He called on all motorists and road users to exercise greater vigilance, discipline, and strict adherence to traffic regulations. Bakare-Oki warned that driving under the influence of alcohol, reckless speeding, dangerous overtaking, and other irresponsible behaviors could lead to avoidable accidents, resulting in loss of lives and property damage.
While acknowledging the celebratory nature of festive periods, he noted that they often place added strain on the transport system, making caution and restraint essential. He stressed that no celebration justifies actions that endanger lives, urging everyone to prioritize safety above all else.
Expanded Deployment and Operational Readiness
To maintain smooth traffic flow, LASTMA has deployed additional officers across major roads, transport hubs, highways, intersections, business districts, recreational centres, and religious venues throughout the state's five divisions. These officers have been directed to enhance monitoring, ensure compliance with traffic laws, and respond swiftly to any incidents or disruptions.
The agency has also positioned high- and medium-capacity tow trucks, traffic cones, safety barriers, and other essential equipment at key locations to enable rapid response to vehicle breakdowns and other traffic-related issues. According to Bakare-Oki, this expanded deployment reflects LASTMA's unwavering commitment to ensuring safe and efficient movement throughout the Easter period.
He added that operational teams are fully mobilised to manage the anticipated surge in traffic, with all resources geared towards minimizing congestion and preventing accidents.
Appeal for Collective Responsibility and Public Cooperation
Bakare-Oki appealed to motorists to remain patient, obey traffic officials, and prioritise safety at all times, noting that a single moment of poor judgment could have irreversible consequences. He also urged commercial drivers, transport unions, fleet operators, and logistics firms to educate their members on the dangers of overloading, speeding, and substance abuse, emphasizing that collective responsibility is key to reducing road accidents.
LASTMA extended Easter greetings to Lagos residents and reaffirmed its readiness to maintain seamless traffic management during the celebrations. The agency encouraged the public to report any traffic violations, obstructions, or emergencies for prompt intervention, highlighting the importance of community involvement in enhancing road safety.
This comprehensive approach underscores LASTMA's dedication to protecting lives and ensuring a hassle-free Easter experience for all road users in Lagos.
