Police received new gadgets which will be confirming the authenticity of drivers’ licenses, motor inspection records and insurance details.
Over 200 specialised digital scanners and communication gadgets were handed to the traffic police department by the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA).
NTSA Director General Francis Meja stated that traffic police would securely access the road authority's database to verify ownership details of a motor vehicle, its inspection status, motorists' and conductors' licence status as well as motorcycles’ ownership details and riding licences anywhere in the country.
Meja stated: “Driving licences, a driver’s PSV and conductor’s PSV certificates, night travel certificates, Sacco licence, e-stickers and smart stickers will be scanned and verified real-time. This will enable traffic officers to enforce road regulations thereby making Kenyan roads safer.”
[caption caption="IG Boinnet with NTSA Director General Francis Meja"]
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Traffic officers were also handed alcoblow gadgets, 700cc BMW motorcycles with a 240kilometre per hour speed and speed guns where 30 have night vision capabilities.
The handover came after a presidential decree that outlawed NTSA’s enforcement department whose responsibilities returned to the police.
Inspector General of Police, Joseph Boinnet welcomed the new equipment adding that police would intensify patrols as well as surveillance across Kenya.
IG Boinnet further maintained that the new gadgets would improve motoring and reduce accidents associated with speeding and drunk driving.
“Helmets are meant to be worn by riders and their pinion passengers. Many deaths and numerous serious injuries have been suffered associated with failure to don helmets,’ the police IG stated.
[caption caption="NTSA Director General Francis Meja"]
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NTSA Board Chairman Jackson Waweru noted that the cost of accidents amounted to Ksh310 billion annually where about 3,000 lives were lost and property destroyed.
“People aged between 15 to 44 years are the hardest hit leaving families and the nation at large with a severe dent and loss of the most productive age group. Road user behaviour is the biggest cause of accidents on Kenyan roads,” Waweru remarked.
