The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has impounded 27 vehicles for what it described as “grave violations” of safety regulations, as part of renewed efforts to curb the dangerous practice of vehicular overloading across the state.
The agency said the enforcement action followed repeated warnings and was aimed at addressing the “pervasive and hazardous practice of vehicular overloading” on major roads.
In a statement issued on Thursday by the Director of the Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department, Adebayo Taofiq, LASTMA disclosed that the operation was carried out during an early-morning, coordinated enforcement exercise.
“During an early-morning, coordinated enforcement exercise conducted after repeated warnings issued through multiple public sensitization platforms, the Agency impounded twenty-seven (27) commercial and private vehicles found to be in flagrant breach of prescribed loading limits and established safety standards,” Taofiq said.
According to the agency, the operation became necessary due to heightened concerns over the escalating risks posed by overloaded vehicles on major arterial corridors and densely trafficked inner-city routes.
LASTMA’s assessment revealed what it described as a “deeply disconcerting pattern,” particularly among commercial vehicle operators, who were found to be indiscriminately burdening their vehicles with assorted goods. These included bulky items and perishable commodities stored haphazardly in luggage compartments and dangerously mounted on vehicle roofs.
The authority warned that such unsafe practices grossly obstruct rearward visibility, destabilise vehicle balance, and severely impair drivers’ situational awareness of approaching traffic, especially during overtaking manoeuvres. It noted that these factors significantly increase the likelihood of avoidable road traffic crashes.
The General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, described vehicular overloading as a serious violation of Lagos State traffic laws, stressing that it poses grave dangers not only to occupants of offending vehicles but also to other road users.
He further described the situation as “an unsightly and perilous spectacle,” lamenting the rampant overloading of commercial buses, private cars, and even articulated vehicles with goods and scrap metals in blatant disregard for public safety.
The agency cautioned motorists to adhere strictly to stipulated loading capacities, ensure unobstructed visibility at all times, and prioritise roadworthiness and safety in their daily operations.
LASTMA reiterated its commitment to sustained enforcement and public sensitisation to promote safer roads and reduce preventable accidents across Lagos State.
