The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) is set to heighten enforcement of traffic laws across the country during the festive period as road fatalities since January hit over 3,300.
NTSA Director General George Njao said the agency will collaborate with the Police to intensify road safety public education campaigns as more Kenyans travel for their festivities.
Mr Njao pointed out analysis of road safety data that showed 98 percent of crashes are attributed to human behaviour such as loss of control due to high speed, lane indiscipline, overloading and dangerous overtaking.
“Of great focus will be to ensure all drivers and passengers comply with the requirements of the regulations and abide by traffic laws,” he said.
Key areas of focus during the campaign will include verification of validity or status of Road Service Licenses (RSL), motor vehicle inspection, driving licences (DL), PSV licences and conductor badges as well as compliance by PSVs to the routes they are licensed to operate on.
“We will also be looking at use of short term and night travel license where we shall revoke an approved licence if the operator is found contravening its terms and conditions,” he said.
The agency will also conduct random stops along major highways during the day and night to verify validity of DLs, speed checks, use of seatbelts, overloading, freewheeling among other issues with any driver found flouting traffic rules having their DL suspended and being required to undergo a mandatory driver re-test.
Mr Njao further explained that they will closely monitor the fleet data of PSVs and if any is driven beyond the stipulated speed requirement, a prohibition order shall be issued against the specific vehicle barring it from operating until such a time it is assessed to be roadworthy.
He added that 20 per cent of sacco vehicles will be required to undergo compliance evaluation including motor vehicle inspection.
“If any of the vehicles subjected to the compliance inspection is noted to have a tampered speed limiter, the entire Sacco/Company’s fleet shall be required to undergo a mandatory motor vehicle inspection,” said the DG.
DEATHS
According to its latest statistics, 3,396 road users have lost their lives between January 1 and December 17, 2019. This is an increase of 13.4 per cent compared to the same period last year.
Out of this, majority (73.4 per cent) were vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, motor cyclists and passengers.
A total of 1,318 pedestrians have died since January, followed by 689 motor cyclists and 674 passengers.
“Strict adherence to the traffic laws and the use of designated crossing points such as zebra crossings and foot-bridges will greatly reduce fatalities among this category,” NTSA said.
Statistics from the agency show that in December 2018, a total of 342 lives were lost on Kenyan roads, translating to the loss of approximately 11 lives each day.