The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) will intensify road safety enforcement during the festive season, targeting speeding, driver fatigue, drunk driving and other traffic violations along major transport corridors.
The authority said on Thursday it would deploy enforcement officers along major highways and accident blackspots as millions of Kenyans travel to reunite with their families during the holidays.
The crackdown will include night-time compliance checks, roadside vehicle safety inspections and increased monitoring of public service vehicles (PSVs) and commercial vehicles through an upgraded digital surveillance system.
The Intelligent Road Safety Management System (IRSMS), rolled out in October, will enable NTSA to identify, record and track speeding violations while helping officers verify vehicle compliance.
The system covers commercial vehicles weighing at least 3,048 kilogrammes and public service vehicles with a passenger capacity of seven or more. NTSA will also support the registration of licensed speed limiter vendors and eligible vehicles onto the platform.
Under Operation Watoto Wafike Salama, enforcement officers will be deployed along major transport routes to improve the safety of children travelling home for the holidays.
Officers will use the digital system and the NTSA Enforcement Mobile App to check speed limiters, driving licences, vehicle inspection certificates and other required documentation.
The authority will also conduct basic roadside safety checks on public service vehicles, commercial vehicles and private motorists, identifying visible defects and advising owners on corrective action.
NTSA said it would continue training public transport drivers and operator management teams on professional driving, passenger safety, regulatory compliance and fleet management.
As of October 20, the authority had trained 3,201 participants, including 2,352 PSV drivers and 849 public transport operator management personnel.
Operators providing long-distance and night travel services will be required to demonstrate adequate journey planning and measures to manage driver fatigue. These include ensuring drivers are rested, providing sufficient breaks and arranging driver changeovers where necessary.
Commuter operators seeking short-term road service licences to operate long-distance routes will also have to demonstrate that their drivers are prepared for the journeys and understand the routes and potential hazards.
NTSA is also upgrading its Public Transport Operator Module to enable fleet managers to monitor vehicle inspections, insurance, licences and driver documentation before regulatory intervention becomes necessary.
The authority warned that operators linked to persistent violations, including speeding, overloading and dangerous driving, would face strict regulatory action. Drivers found violating traffic rules will also continue to undergo mandatory retesting.
The enforcement measures will be accompanied by the Usalama Barabarani campaign, which will focus on changing driver behaviour through public awareness and stricter enforcement.
NTSA said crash investigation data identified speeding and driver errors, including misjudging overtaking distances, as major contributors to fatal and serious road injuries.
The authority urged motorists to use roadworthy vehicles, observe traffic rules and remain vigilant throughout the festive travel period.
