The Long Distance Drivers and Conductors Association (LoDCCA) has sounded an alarm over the government's inaction regarding the use of unfit vans as popular 14-seater matatus, following a series of deadly accidents.
In a statement on Monday morning, the association faulted the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) for failing to regulate the Toyota Hiace H200 series, which it claimed were designed to transport cargo, not passengers.
Citing the two accidents that happened within a few hours of each other over the weekend along the Nairobi-Nakuru highway, killing 20, LoDDCA noted that both vehicles were of the same make.
According to the association, if the authorities had acted sooner, the 14-seater matatu's head-on collision that killed 13 people on Sunday and the ambulance accident that killed six people on Saturday would have been avoided.
"This was no freak accident. The Hiace H200 series was originally designed for cargo, not passengers. Its weak structure cannot withstand crashes, making it a death trap when used as a matatu. Yet NTSA has allowed it to dominate public transport," the statement read in part.
"A safer alternative exists in the Toyota Hiace H300 series, designed with reinforced passenger safety standards. But NTSA has failed to enforce its adoption, leaving Kenyans vulnerable."
As such, the association called on the NTSA to phase out all the Toyota H200 series operating as Public Service Vehicles (PSVs) across the country.
Toyota H200 Series Safety Concerns
The Toyota H200 Series is a fifth generation of the Hiace commercial van, produced from 2004 until 2019 for the global market. Although they have been designed for both cargo and passenger transport, older models pose a significant safety concern for people.
This is mainly due to the cab-over-engine design, which means the front seats are directly over the engine, with a short front overhang and limited crumple zones to absorb impact, leading to less protection for the driver and front passenger in a frontal collision compared to modern vans with a protruding hood.
Older models also did not come standard with Electronic Stability Control (ESC), a crucial safety feature for tall commercial vehicles prone to body roll, especially when fully loaded or cornering at speed.
Improvement on the H300 Series
Launched in 2019, the H300 moved away from the traditional cab-over-engine design to a semi-bonneted layout, placing the engine in front of the cabin. This creates a larger crumple zone for superior occupant protection in a frontal collision.
It is also fitted with Toyota Safety Sense (TSS) as standard in many markets. TSS includes features like a Pre-Collision System (PCS), Lane Departure Alert (LDA), and Electronic Stability Control (ESC).
Other LoDDCA Concerns With NTSA
Besides the unsafe matatus, however, LoDDCA faulted NTSA for failure to implement the NTSA Act, leaving passengers in a precarious position to face unsafe vehicles, rising road fatalities, and preventable deaths.
Drivers, on the other hand, are subjected to exploitation, long hours, and harsh targets that push them into fatigue, poor mental health, and unsafe driving, according to LoDDCA, adding, "Graft has flourished, with some drivers obtaining licences without even basic knowledge of the Highway Code."
It further blamed the NTSA top leadership for poor leadership and overstaying positions, failing to ensure credible driver licensing and safe vehicle registration. These inefficiencies, according to LoDDCA, extended to the issuance of smart licences, logbooks, and number plates, which are delayed for months.
The authority has not responded to the criticism levelled by the LoDDCA, but NTSA has launched several safety campaigns over the last few months to tame road carnage. It has also partnered with the National Police Service to conduct crackdowns on unroadworthy vehicles.
