The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has intensified road safety operations across the country, with a major focus on the Coast region, as schools prepare to close for the August 2026 holidays.

In a statement issued on Monday, July 27, 2026, the NTSA Mombasa Regional Office said it had partnered with the County Government of Mombasa and the National Police Service (NPS) to conduct road safety sensitisation campaigns at major bus parks.

The campaign includes awareness sessions for drivers and passengers, intensified Alcoblow enforcement to curb drink-driving, and enhanced compliance operations along major highways to promote safer travel during the holiday season.

Passenger vigilance encouraged

NTSA has urged passengers to take an active role in promoting road safety by speaking out whenever they notice unsafe driving.

The authority called on travellers to remain alert for speeding, driving under the influence of alcohol or showing signs of intoxication, driver fatigue, mobile phone use while driving, dangerous overtaking, driving on the wrong side of the road, lane indiscipline and distracted driving.

“If your driver is driving recklessly, raise the alarm immediately and encourage them to drive responsibly,” the NTSA statement read.

Members of the public have also been encouraged to report incidents that put children or other road users at risk through police hotlines 999, 911 or 112, St. John’s Ambulance, the Kenya Red Cross emergency line or the NTSA Incident Reporting Platform, where witnesses and victims can submit reports, photos or videos after phone verification.

Draft rules to support enforcement

The renewed Alcoblow campaign comes as the government moves to strengthen the legal framework governing road safety.

Draft regulations published in a special issue of the Kenya Gazette by the Ministry of Roads and Transport seek to formalise the return of breathalyser testing following earlier court decisions that halted its use due to gaps in the legal framework.

The proposals also require annual inspections for all vehicles older than four years, as well as commercial, school and public service vehicles. Additional inspections would be required after accidents, before registration or when vehicle details are changed. Private vehicle inspection centres would also be subject to licensing requirements and compliance measures.

Roads and Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir described the reforms covering vehicle inspections, school transport, drink-driving enforcement and commercial operations as a major step towards improving accountability and professionalism.

“The safety of school-going children is non-negotiable. This framework ensures that school transport is not only reliable but meets the highest safety standards,” Chirchir said.

Holiday safety focus

The draft School Transport Rules, 2025, also seek to prohibit the hiring of school buses for private use, addressing safety concerns linked to the diversion of vehicles designated for learners.

The current campaign builds on previous enforcement operations carried out during peak travel periods. In December 2025, NTSA conducted random Alcoblow tests along major highways, including the Embu-Nairobi road, while reminding motorists that alcohol impairs judgment, slows reaction time and increases the risk of crashes.

As holiday travel begins, the authority has warned that head-on collisions caused by lane indiscipline and unsafe overtaking remain among the leading causes of fatal road crashes.

NTSA has urged motorists to keep left, overtake only when it is safe to do so and prioritise the safety of children and all other road users during the August school holiday travel period.