NTSA, Police Roll Out Tough Festive Crackdown to Curb Holiday Road Carnage

Transport authorities have urged the public to exercise extra caution on the roads this festive season, even as they roll out tougher patrols, mobile courts, and stronger enforcement designed to curb the annual spike in December accidents.

Matatu operators and safety agencies are already warning of rising cases of reckless driving, driver fatigue, poorly maintained vehicles, and general indiscipline along major highways.

To address these concerns, the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) and the National Police Service have confirmed the deployment of more officers to ensure strict compliance with traffic laws.

NTSA director of road safety Andrew Kiplagat stated that road safety must be a collective effort.

“Every stakeholder has a role to play: from ensuring vehicles are roadworthy to making sure drivers comply with the law,” he said during a stakeholders’ meeting in Nairobi on Monday.

Traffic commandant Fredrick Ochieng’ outlined a series of police interventions, including round-the-clock patrols on major highways, especially at night when most serious crashes occur. Officers will also use speed guns, breathalyzers, and mobile courts to apprehend and penalize offenders immediately.

“This strategy will reduce cases of bribery and ensure instant justice for drivers breaking the law,” he said.

NTSA also stressed the importance of functioning speed limiters in public service vehicles, noting that faulty devices remain a major contributor to road crashes. During the festive period, suppliers will offer free rechecks for PSV operators to encourage compliance.

Federation of Public Transport Sector CEO Kushian Muchiri said the sector is building a digital platform to track drivers’ offenses across different employers and vehicles.

“We are building a platform to monitor drivers’ offenses across different vehicles and employers. This will ensure repeat offenders face stricter penalties, and driver behavior improves,” he said.

Speed Governor and Road Safety Association chairman Gitonga Kieru added that commercial and PSV vehicles fitted with speed governors will be eligible for free festive season inspections.

“This is not an individual exercise but a sector-wide initiative to ensure safety,” he noted.

The Matatu Sacco Owners Association says December has historically seen a surge in long-distance travel and, in turn, a spike in crashes, many linked to unroadworthy vehicles and overworked drivers. Second deputy president Salim Mbarak said the sector must reinforce strict safety protocols if Kenya hopes to reduce fatalities this season.

“This is peak travel season. All vehicles must be serviced, roadworthy and handled by sober, rested drivers,” he said.

Mbarak warned operators against diverting town-service vehicles to long-distance routes to cash in on high demand. He added that some operators neglect essential mechanical checks, sending vehicles back to the road with worn-out parts, faulty brakes, or overdue servicing, issues that NTSA regularly documents in accident reports.

He urged NTSA and police officers to heighten surveillance along the Mombasa–Nairobi, Nairobi–Kisumu, and Nairobi–Eldoret highways, where cases of speeding, overlapping, and overloading are common. He also called for action against intoxicated crews and asked both county and national governments to repaint faded road signs, especially near sharp bends and high-risk zones.

Fatigue, he noted, remains a silent but deadly threat, particularly when drivers attempt multiple long trips without adequate rest. Safety reports show such crashes often occur late at night or in the early morning hours.

Passengers were also encouraged to take a more active role in their own safety by refusing overloaded matatus, speaking out against reckless driving, and reporting misconduct.

“Passengers should not fear complaining. Your voice can save lives,” Mbarak said.

Authorities also appealed to boda boda riders to maintain discipline and help identify unfamiliar or suspicious individuals at stages as part of broader festive-season security measures.

NTSA has further announced that drivers arrested during enforcement operations will now undergo mandatory re-testing. Acting Director-General Angela Wanjira said the stricter approach follows a 2.6 percent rise in crash victims this year.

The re-testing process will rely heavily on the Intelligent Road Safety Management System (IRSMS), a digital platform introduced in 2023 to monitor speed, braking, route discipline, and dangerous overtaking among public service and commercial vehicles. The system flags violations in real time and automatically alerts enforcement teams.

“Through analysing violations, we can identify risky behaviour early and ensure drivers undergo necessary retraining,” NTSA said in a statement.

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