National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) Deputy Director Aden Millah exposed loopholes used by companies and individuals to register and sell cars that have been written off after accidents.
Speaking during a meeting with MPs on Thursday, May 16, Millah revealed that there was no legal framework for the registration of vehicles that were written off after accidents.
He revealed that there were occasions when insurance companies were repairing written-off vehicles and selling them to Kenyans.
Insurance companies usually write off vehicles when it is deemed that damages caused during an accident are too expensive or unattainable
On the other hand, some scrupulous individuals also find ways to re-register vehicles that have been deregistered by the authorities due to being written off.
The Director indicated that the registration process was used as a loophole given that the process is initiated online.
"The director also brought it to the attention of the committee that there is no existing legal framework for the registration of written-off vehicles in cases as a result of accidents.
"He further added that some written-off vehicles are repaired by insurance companies and sold while some deregistered vehicles find their way back into ownership as registration is initiated online," read the report by Parliament.
According to guidelines by NTSA, the deregistration of vehicles is done when vehicles have been written off after accidents.
Other instances include when vehicles have been exported out of the country or when owners no longer need unserviceable vehicles.
On the other hand, driving written-off vehicles that have been repaired poses a substantial risk to motorists. This is because vehicles usually lose their structural integrity during accidents.
Therefore, despite the repairs that are done, one is not guaranteed their safety and could prove to be fatal during accidents.
According to date by NTSA over 1,000 Kenyans have lost their lives in road accidents since January 2024.
