LASTMA seizes 27 vehicles for flouting loading regulations

The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has impounded 27 commercial and private vehicles across the state for flouting loading regulations and compromising road safety.

The agency announced the action on Thursday via a statement from its Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment, Adebayo Taofiq, shared on its official X account.

The vehicles were seized during an early-morning enforcement drive, conducted after repeated public warnings and awareness campaigns.

“During an early-morning, coordinated enforcement exercise conducted after repeated warnings issued through multiple public sensitisation platforms, the Agency impounded twenty-seven commercial and private vehicles found to be in flagrant breach of prescribed loading limits and established safety standards,” the statement said.

The operation followed directives from LASTMA’s General Manager, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, amid concerns over the dangers posed by overloaded vehicles on heavily trafficked routes.

“The operation was executed in strict accordance with the directive of the General Manager of LASTMA, Mr Olalekan Bakare-Oki, following heightened concerns over the escalating risks posed by overloaded vehicles on major arterial corridors and densely trafficked inner-city routes,” the agency explained.

Field assessments revealed widespread unsafe practices, particularly among commercial vehicle operators, who often load vehicles indiscriminately with bulky or perishable items, including goods precariously stacked on roofs or inside luggage compartments.

“LASTMA enforcement officers’ field assessment exposed a deeply disconcerting pattern wherein motorists, particularly operators of commercial vehicles, indiscriminately burden their vehicles with assorted goods, including bulky items and perishable commodities, stored indiscriminately within luggage compartments and precariously mounted atop vehicle roofs,” the statement added.

The agency warned that such behaviour obstructs visibility, destabilises vehicles, and significantly increases the risk of accidents.

Describing overloading as “an unsightly and perilous spectacle,” Bakare-Oki condemned the practice on commercial buses, private cars, and articulated vehicles, vowing sustained enforcement.

He affirmed, “The Agency’s zero-tolerance stance against all traffic infractions that imperil lives and property” remains firm, with enforcement measures set to continue and intensify.

LASTMA also urged motorists to adhere strictly to approved loading capacities, prioritising road safety at all times.

“Members of the general public, particularly motorists, are hereby urged to promptly report any commercial or private vehicles found to be in violation of prescribed loading limits via the LASTMA Toll-Free Hotline: 0800-005-27862 to enable swift enforcement and immediate corrective action,” the agency concluded.