Varsity students invent road safety and e-revenue device

Two students from Rongo University, a constituent of Moi University, have invented a new multipurpose device that might replace the Alcoblow and speed governors in public service vehicles.

According to the students, if the device which is also an e-revenue collection system is adopted and properly used, it would effectively breathe new life into the country’s transport sector.

The innovation by the second year students— Percy Lemutukei and Emily Muriithi —comes at a time that the government through the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) is implementing new traffic regulations after the re-introduction of speed governors and the Alcoblow, among other measures to curb road accidents in the country.

The device known as Electronic Revenue Collection and Immobilisation System was on display at the recent universities exhibition in Eldoret. The device, which is fitted in cars, is able to detect drunken drivers and immobilise their cars.

It can also be used to immobilise speeding cars, and those with loud music, besides be being used to help in collecting revenue from operators.

Instead of removing drivers from the cars to be tested using the Alcoblow, the car gets immobilised and the system sends a text to the central unit, reporting the driver and the vehicle’s registration.

Lemutukei and Muriithi who are both taking Information, Communication and Media Studies, said they were motivated to invent the gadget following failure by motorists to adhere to traffic rules.

Speaking to the Business Daily in Eldoret, they said the system would go a long way in curbing corruption in the collection of revenue from motorists. Lemutukei, 21, said it took them one month to come up with the device which cost them Sh5,000.

“Once we are through with registering this new system and after following the right market procedures, matatu owners can buy it and fit it into their vehicles. The system can register all PSVs in one database and the owners can subscribe to our services and pay through M-Pesa or any other mobile money transfer service on a weekly, monthly or yearly basis for the service,” Mr Lemutukei said.

He added that the money would be paid through subscriptions and that matatu owners would receive a notification through a short text message.

“We have realised that the government loses a lot of revenue in the transport sector because matatu owners evade paying taxes,” Mr Lemutukei said.

Ms Muriithi, 20, said the system can stop a vehicle from moving if the owner fails to pay the subscription fee where it will also alert passengers to alight.

This article first appeared in the Business Daily