CS Murkomen announced on Monday that the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) will intensify its surveillance efforts to clamp down on vehicles that are not roadworthy. Additionally, he stated that the NTSA has partnered with the Interior Ministry to arrest drivers who engage in reckless drivers.

“Drivers should avoid using their phones while driving, speeding, driving under the influence of alcohol/drugs, and driving without, or carrying passengers who are not wearing safety belts,” the CS stated.

Furthermore, CS Murkomen indicated that the Ministry is in the final stages of creating a Driving School Management and Licensing Module. The module is designed to verify the competence and qualifications of drivers, with the goal of ensuring that only skilled and capable drivers are permitted to operate vehicles on the road.

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“The module is meant to eliminate cases of irregular acquisition of driving licenses that have seen self-trained drivers acquire licenses without going through the requisite training and tests,” he said.

The Ministry’s efforts to improve road safety also include the deployment of an Integrated Traffic Management System (ITMS). The ITMS will involve the installation of CCTV cameras at 81 junctions in Nairobi, as well as the installation of traffic and speed cameras on highways, particularly in areas where accidents are frequent.

Additionally, the Ministry will establish a transport data center and a road transport dashboard. These measures are intended to help address reckless driving, and the Ministry plans to introduce an instant fines and demerit point system to penalize motorists who drive carelessly.

CS Murkomen made these remarks while inaugurating the new Board of the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), emphasizing the urgent need to address the high incidence of road accidents, which have already resulted in the loss of 1,072 lives between January and March of this year alone.

While this number is lower compared to the 1,159 deaths recorded during the same period last year, CS Murkomen noted that it still reflects a worrying trend in road safety, and he described the situation as a catastrophe that needs to be addressed.

“According to the latest report, of the 1,072 people killed on our roads, 362 are pedestrians, 302 are motorcyclists, 184 are passengers, 101 are pillion passengers, 104 are drivers while 19 are pedal cyclists,” he said.

Murkomen identified several factors that have contributed to the high number of deaths on the roads, including speeding vehicles, crossing roads at undesignated places, distracted driving or walking, and drunk driving.

According to the statistics presented, Machakos County recorded the highest number of driver fatalities, with many of the accidents occurring along the Nairobi-Mombasa Highway.

On the other hand, Nakuru and Meru Counties had the highest number of fatalities among motorcycle riders and pillion passengers, with 33 and 30 deaths respectively, while Nairobi and Kiambu counties recorded the highest number of pedestrian fatalities, with 56 and 45 deaths respectively during the same period.