The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) cautioned motorists flouting traffic rules during the December festive season in a rush to make more money.
Speaking on Thursday, December 1, at Mkomani grounds in Mombasa County, NTSA Director Registration and Licensing Christopher Kinyua Wanjau noted that motorists' disregard of traffic rules had resulted in increased road accidents during the holiday season.
To tame road crashes, Wanjau insisted that the authority had intensified crackdowns on various highways. NTSA is collaborating with National Police Service (NPS) and other stakeholders to carry out the operations.
Part of the exercise will involve laying strategic traps to nab motorists violating traffic rules in the country.
Wanjau further disclosed that the safety authority had engaged various stakeholders to train motorists to address some human errors that lead to accidents.
During the exercise, NTSA would target reckless drivers, drunk drivers and those speeding. Others areas include failure to put on seat belts and not using helmets for boda boda riders.
The initiative involves training boda boda riders who are among the leading contributors of road accidents.
"We are working with all those stakeholders to ensure that this festive season to ensure the number of accidents reduce," the NTSA official stated.
"The aim of this exercise is to increase road safety. We will have all riders trained on road safety aspect by NTSA," one of the stakeholders added.
Stakeholders in the Public Service Sector (PSV) further called on the government to fast-track reforms and plans aimed at protecting commuters during the December festive season.
According to NTSA report released on Thursday, November 17, the majority of road users who lost their lives were pedestrians and motorcylists.
17,550 people were involved in road accidents across the country in October alone.
"In October 2022, pedestrians (1413), motorcyclists (1,046), passengers (693), pillion passengers (363), drivers (356) and pedal cyclists (53) died," NTSA report read in part.
