By Dorothy Musyoka
The government has intensified its commitment to improving road safety, particularly during the festive season when traffic-related incidents typically surge.
In a press release by the Acting Interior Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, the government has noted a rise of about 11% serious injuries occasioned by road accidents since 2023.
However fatalities among drivers, passengers, pillion passengers, and motorcyclists have decreased by 5.85%, 10%,9% and 10.05% respectively.
To curb road accidents and enhance compliance with safety standards, a series of directives have been issued to security enforcement officers nationwide. These measures include:
1.Day and night patrols along major highways will be amplified to monitor compliance with traffic laws.
These patrols will discourage reckless driving, deter speeding violations, and target unlicensed and overloaded PSVs.
- All PSVs will be required to have valid road service licenses, whether for long-distance or commuter routes.
This step ensures that only safe and properly inspected vehicles operate on the roads.
- Unlicensed vehicles that fail to meet the required standards for passenger safety will be barred from operations, with heightened action against operators violating NTSA (Operation of PSV) Regulations of 2014.
- Officers will enforce speed limits across all major highways, aiming to significantly reduce accidents caused by speeding.
- Base Commanders and officers are tasked with ensuring safety within their jurisdictions, with a mandate to monitor, report, and address road safety issues proactively.
In line with the National Road Safety Goal, the government has set an ambitious target of reducing traffic fatalities by 50% before 2028.
To achieve this, law enforcement agencies have been urged to remain vigilant and committed to maintaining high safety standards.
“ Every officer must be actively engaged in monitoring, reporting and addressing any issue of non-compliance to road safety regulations,” read the statement.
As the festive season approaches, the government urges all road users, especially PSV drivers on long-distance routes, to exercise caution and adhere to traffic laws.
“I therefore urge Kenyans in this festive season especially Public Service Vehicle (PSV) drivers driving on long- distance trips to be careful and drive safely,” Mudavadi said.
While fatalities have decreased among some groups, the festive season typically poses heightened risks, requiring collective efforts to ensure safety.