The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has called on members of the public to report incidents involving children under the influence of drugs or alcohol on the roads, as part of efforts to enhance road safety and protect minors.

In a statement posted on their X account on August 24, 2025, NTSA highlighted the dangers posed by passengers who are intoxicated or under the influence of narcotics while in vehicles.

“Did you know that a passenger being drunk or using drugs in a vehicle is dangerous for road safety?” NTSA posed.

The transport authority specifically emphasised the need to report cases involving minors who may be under the influence of substances.

“Report if a child is under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Report any such incident,” NTSA urged.

According to the agency, this directive is under the Watoto Wafike Salama initiative, which seeks to ensure the protection of children on Kenyan roads.

Road safety alert

This directive follows a recent alert from NTSA urging increased vigilance on the roads ahead of the school reopening, in light of a rise in traffic accidents.

In a public notice released on Friday, August 15, 2025, NTSA stated that recent compliance checks on school vehicles revealed significant safety lapses.

These issues include non-serviced or faulty speed limiters, some of which fail to transmit data to the Intelligent Road Safety Management System (IRSMS), as well as worn interiors, malfunctioning door locks, defective seat belts, poor seat anchorage, and missing anti-roll bars.

“From random compliance checks and analysis of reports on inspection of school transport vehicles, we have observed the following major safety concerns:non-serviced (expired) speed limiters, contrary to the requirements of KS 2295:2018,” NTSA noted.

The agency urged parents and guardians to ensure that their children are not transported in unroadworthy vehicles.

“Motor vehicle owners should service their vehicles to detect and fix potential problems. This will help minimise the risk of crashes caused by mechanical failures,” NTSA stated.

“Road safety is a shared responsibility, and if all road users actively participate, we can reduce fatalities and injuries,” it added.