NTSA to enforce new rules to curb carnage on roads

The government has developed new stringent measures to curb accidents on Kenyan roads.

To be implemented by the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), the measures will target motorists plying major highways in Nairobi, Nakuru, Kiambu and Machakos counties which have been mapped out as the most notorious accident spots in the country.

In Nairobi county, the killer roads include Thika Highway, Outering Road, Waiyaki Way as well as the Eastern and Northern Bypass.

In Kiambu county, they include Thika highway, Nairobi – Naivasha stretch, Eastern Bypass, Matuu-Thika stretch and Thika-Garissa stretch.

In Machakos county, the accident prone roads include Mombasa-Nairobi stretch, Kangundo, Matuu-Thika stretch, Machakos-Kitui stretch and Matuu-Mwingi stretch while in Nakuru county, the agency has singled out Nakuru-Eldoret highway, Nairobi-Nakuru highway, Nakuru-Nyahururu highway, Gilgil-Nakuru stretch, Mai Mahiu-Naivasha highway and Nairobi-Naivasha stretch.

Collectively, these roads accounted for 36 per cent or four out of every ten road fatalities in the country last year, according to NTSA. 

NTSA says that the measures which will mainly focus on vehicle safety standards and enforcement of traffic rules will lower unsafe road behaviours which often result in fatalities and serious injuries to victims of road accidents.

Through a report dubbed National Road Safety Action Plan to be implemented within the next five years, the road safety agency now targets to have all vehicles plying Kenyan roads comply with international safety regulations as set out in the United Nations (UN) vehicle safety regulations.

The UN regulations address the key crash risks when a car is involved in an accident such as frontal and side impact crashes, pedestrian crashes and motorcycle crashes.

Noting that new motor vehicles, whether imported or manufactured locally, entering the Kenyan fleet are likely to stay in use for 20 years or more, the agency warned that delay in applying international vehicle safety standards will have a negative safety impact in Kenya.

Comprehensive tests

“In theory, all commercial and public transport vehicles are required to be inspected on an annual basis, and there is a comprehensive test manual that meets international standards. In practice the small number of existing Government-owned test centres do not have sufficient capacity to test all of the vehicles they should,” reads the road safety action plan report released by NTSA.

Though there are standards in place for vehicle modification, NTSA observed that truck chassis imported as second-hand vehicles from Japan, then converted into public transport vehicles by local vehicle bodybuilders, often provide insufficient occupant protection when a public service vehicle (PSV) is involved in a crash.

According to the report, by 2030, all new motor vehicles entering the Kenyan fleet must meet at least seven of the eight priority UN vehicle safety standards which include frontal and side impact protection, electronic stability control, pedestrian front protection, seat-belts and child restraints

“Compliance and enforcement will be initiated in support of a new set of construction standards applying to the bodybuilding sector. This will include penalties which are sufficiently strong to deter bodybuilders from not complying with standards, or vehicle owners operating non-compliant vehicles,” NTSA warned.

Additionally, the agency proposed periodic vehicle testing reforms through legislation targeting both PSV and commercial vehicles to address among other key roadworthiness issues such as brakes, tyres, steering, lights, and seatbelts which are the highest priority for testing.

Private sector garages will need to be licensed and closely regulated by the NTSA to undertake inspections and are not allowed to offer repair services.

To restore sanity on the roads, the agency said it will initiate comprehensive speed limit reforms based on the function, use and safety of each road to curb unsafe behaviour among road users.

For instance, in road sections where there is potential for collisions with pedestrians and cyclists, such as villages, school zones or commercial areas or where children mix with traffic NTSA will enforce a 30km/h speed.

Side impact collisions

In sections where there is potential for side impact collisions, such as intersections the speed will be capped at 50km/h while in areas where there is potential for head-on collisions, such as undivided rural highways, vehicles will travel at a speed of 70km/h.

To address the specific risks associated with motorcycles and to roll out safe operation reforms in the sector, all boda bodas will be required to join a boda boda Sacco, comprising a minimum of 100 members. The registered Saccos will be required to deposit their registration details with NTSA and the County Government.

The authority said it will work with police and county governments to operationalise 2015 regulations on motorcycle transport effectively.

“Existing rules will be strictly overseen by NTSA. Non-complying SACCOs will be identified and targeted. If non-compliance persists, the NTSA will ensure their authority to operate is removed. The regulations will also be reviewed, and the training-testing-licensing requirements further strengthened,” the road safety report added.

To further enforce traffic laws, NTSA said that County Traffic Police Commanders will be provided with programme deployment and management tools to detect and prosecute lack of seatbelt wearing (in public transport or private vehicles) and riding on a motorcycle without a helmet.

For drunk driving and speeding, the agency will erect well-maintained detection equipment supported by law as evidential devices to arrest the offenders.

Similarly, the road safety agency said that plans are underway to face out all the old driving licenses where drivers will now be required to apply for the new generation licenses to eliminate rampant identity fraud in the licensing system. This plan will be implemented over a three-year period.

During the five years when these recommendations will be implemented, it will be mandatory for drivers to undergo constant medical examinations to ascertain their fitness to drive.

NTSA said: “Assessing and monitoring of drivers’ fitness to drive is targeted at controlling the human component of the road safety system. Fitness to drive involves medical and non-medical evaluations of an individual’s functions to ensure that they can drive safely.”