Private cars hurt NTSA safety efforts

What you need to know:

  • The authority was formed four years ago with a mandate to “help in effectively managing the road transport sub-sector and minimising loss of lives through road accidents”.
  • Its latest report shows that the annual number of deaths by road crashes has averaged 3,000, costing the economy 5.6 per cent (Sh300 billion) of the national GDP.
  • Last year, 3,057 people lost their lives through road accidents, 150 more than 2014.
  • Since 2012, the figures have remained constant despite efforts by the NTSA to improve road safety.

The number of Kenyans dying from road accidents in the country has remained constant despite the creation of the National Transport Safety Authority (NTSA).

This is because the NTSA is facing challenges in regulating private motorists, who are the largest contributors of fatalities.

The authority was formed four years ago with a mandate to “help in effectively managing the road transport sub-sector and minimising loss of lives through road accidents”.

ANNUAL DEATHS

But its latest report shows that the annual number of deaths by road crashes has averaged 3,000, costing the economy 5.6 per cent (Sh300 billion) of the national GDP.

Last year, 3,057 people lost their lives through road accidents, 150 more than 2014.

Since 2012, the figures have remained constant despite efforts by the NTSA to improve road safety.

For instance, the authority has required all public service vehicle (PSV) drivers to have regular medical check-ups and has issued new regulations on licensing.

It has also introduced prompt fines for rogue drivers, brought back efforts to tame drunken driving as well as implementing speed limits.

IMPROVED SAFETY

It appears these efforts have improved safety only among PSVs, with a drop of 22 per cent in road fatalities.

So far, private motorists contribute a third of accidents, according to a report by the authority.

NTSA Director-General Francis Meja said the significant decline in accidents involving PSVs was the result of an enhanced working relationship with the operators.

“The regulations and interventions that the authority put in place in 2014 have seen some commendable improvement among the public transport sector,” said Mr Meja.

PRIVATE MOTORISTS MENACE

However, the director-general said that the same could not be said of private motorists because they are difficult to regulate.

“Some of the things we are doing with PSVs cannot be done on private vehicles. The least we can do is to talk to them,” he said.

Speaking at the launch of the report, NTSA chairman Lee Kinyanjui said the authority intends to increase awareness that can improve road user behaviour.

Mr Kinyanjui said the authority needs more funding to enforce more safety measures.

“Road safety is an expensive venture which requires sufficient funding to undertake road safety programmes,” he said.

The NTSA also plans to adopt a new driving and testing curriculum.

“The curriculum has not been revised since independence yet our roads are changing [every] day,” said the chairman.