NTSA Launches Crackdown Against Matatu & Truck Drivers Starting in Mombasa

In an effort to mitigate road accidents, particularly during the festive period, the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has collaborated with the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) in an ambitious campaign targeting drivers.

The sensitisation campaign, which will mainly target drivers of Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) and Public Service Vehicles (PSVs), popularly known as matatus, is aimed at spreading awareness about safe road practices.

In a statement released on Tuesday, December 17, the NTSA revealed the week-long exercise will target motorists along the Northern Corridor, and will commence in Mombasa.

“KeNHA in collaboration with NTSA has launched a joint road safety sensitization campaign targeting drivers of Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) and Public Service Vehicles (PSVs) along the Northern Corridor,” the statement read.

As part of the campaign, truck and PSV drivers will be educated on the importance of adherence to traffic regulations while the two agencies will also enhance their understanding of road safety measures to minimize accidents.

One of the main reasons the NTSA and KeNHA are targeting truck drivers in the campaign could be because of a recent trend of accidents involving heavy vehicles.

In one of the latest incidents on December 16, a lorry ferrying construction materials plow into several vehicles at the White House Estate area in Nakuru County. Multiple reports indicated that the driver experienced brake failure.

PSVs are also guilty of causing fatal accidents in the country, with most of the incidents being attributed to human error. On Saturday, December 14, six people lost their lives while several others sustained critical injuries after a Nissan matatu collided with a school bus along the Bomet-Narok Highway.

Between January 1 and August 27, 2024, records from the NTSA indicate road accidents have claimed at least 3,056. According to the report, a majority of the fatalities are pedestrians. The number of passengers killed rose by 15% compared to 2023, with at least 595 losing their lives between January and August 2024.

This is the latest initiative by NTSA underlines which has been intent on preaching the message of road safety as the country gears up for mass long-distance travels for December festivities. 

In November, the authority once again involved the public in a road safety campaign by testing out an SMS alert feature that notified motorists who were overspeeding.

The notification messages feature several key details including the speeding vehicle’s registration, the time of committing the offence, the exact speed limit which was exceeded, and the name of the owner which the vehicle is registered under.