Agency seeks public nod on the return of Alcoblow
By Harrison.Kivisu, February 23, 2023Players in the transport sector have recommended a raft of amendments in the proposed Draft Motor Vehicle Inspection Regulations, 2022 and Draft Traffic (Drunk Driving) Rules, 2022 that seeks to reintroduce alcoblow.
Some stakeholders attending a public sensitisation forum in Mombasa asked the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) to also classify smoking of bhang and chewing of miraa in the category of addiction drugs.
“As the law is being prepared, we want to know how will NTSA classify other addictions such as smoking of bhang and chewing of miraa in the control of accidents on our roads,” posed Robert Muinde, a participant.
However, the use of alcoblow on the Kenyan roads will wait until June as the authority seeks public opinion on the mobilisation of a new law on its application.
NTSA chairman Adan Noor Ali said they have formulated statutory instruments to support effective road safety management among them reintroduction of the Alcoblow testing kit.
The court had declared the use of breathalysers on Kenyan roads illegal. However, in the new law, NTSA wants to ensure no amount of alcohol should be tolerated stating that drink driving causes road carnage.
Drivers of private vehicles are allowed 0.35 microgrammes maximum intoxication, while those operating public service vehicles are completely prohibited from taking liquor and their test result should be zero.
“It’s a good law, if the public gives us the go ahead, then we will have no option but to reintroduce it, we intend to complete public participation forums next month, then retreat to make adjustments in accordance with public opinion, before the law is forwarded to Parliament for debate and enactment,” said Ali.
Per the breathalyser scale, a driver is given a clean bill of health to drive if their alcohol level ranges between zero and 0.29 on the calibrator. The players also proposed that the alcohol blow kits that are not recycled but only used once.
In the new law, NTSA is also proposing to subject all private cars to regular inspections noting that many owners cause accidents due to use of unroadworthy vehicles.
Drunk pedestrians
The proposed law further says all private vehicles which are more than four years old from the recorded date of manufacture shall undergo a motor vehicle inspection test after every two years.
“We have noted that many accidents are caused by private cars, so we want to regulate them and ensure they are inspected regularly,” said Ali.
Speaking in Mombasa during the public participation meeting held at the Kenya School of Government, Matatu Owners Association chairman Coast region, Benson Nkore asked the agency to include penalties on pedestrians who walk drunk on the roads.
“We also want the law to explain what will happen or how it will treat people who drink and walk on the road causing traffic danger,”said Nkore.
Car Importers Association of Kenya CIAK wants the government to dual the Mombasa-Nairobi Highway and other roads to ensure smooth flow of traffic and eradicate traffic road blocks.
“If the highway is expanded, we will have different lanes, this will limit head on collisions and also reduce the number of traffic roadblocks on the way,” said Otieno.
NTSA decries that there is continued disregard of road safety in the country leading to high number of accidents.
Currently, the law provides that every car more than four years old from the date of manufacture shall be subjected to inspection by the Motor Vehicle Inspection Unit.