LASTMA Expands School Traffic Safety Advocacy Under GM Olalekan Bakare-Oki

LASTMA Expands School Traffic Safety Advocacy Under GM Olalekan Bakare-Oki

The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has intensified its School Traffic Safety Advocacy Programme (STAY-AT-HOME), aimed at instilling road discipline and safety consciousness in pupils across the state.

Under the leadership of the General Manager, Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki, the initiative has evolved from routine sensitisation exercises into a structured programme integrated into schools’ academic and extracurricular activities.

The programme, run in partnership with the Lagos State Ministry of Education, promotes pedestrian discipline, use of pedestrian bridges, seatbelt compliance, interpretation of road signs, and safe cycling practices. Pupils are engaged through interactive workshops, drama, road-safety simulations, and digital learning tools, including animated clips and gamified activities.

Speaking on the progress, Bakare-Oki said the advocacy was designed to “embed traffic enlightenment into the daily lives of children, transforming them into ambassadors of safety both in school and at home.”

Traffic Safety Clubs have also been established in several schools, where pupils—guided by LASTMA officials—take on peer-advocacy roles, often reminding parents, siblings, and community members to comply with road safety rules.

According to data from LASTMA’s Research and Statistics Department, there has been a noticeable decline in pedestrian fatalities involving school-aged children in areas where the programme has been most active. Parents and drivers have also shared testimonies of pupils insisting on safe practices such as proper use of pedestrian bridges and seatbelts.

The initiative is also helping to reshape public perception of LASTMA, an agency often associated with punitive enforcement. By engaging children as advocates, the agency is increasingly seen as a social partner committed to preserving lives.

Observers say the programme aligns Lagos with global best practices, where child-focused advocacy has proven to be a sustainable approach to building road discipline.

“The School Traffic Safety Advocacy Programme is not just about reducing accidents today—it is about cultivating a generation that values order, discipline, and safety on the roads,” Bakare-Oki noted.