NTSA calls for safety enforcement by road users as kids travel for holiday
The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has called on all stakeholders in the road transport sector to put safety measures in place as students travel home after the closure of schools.
NTSA has urged close supervision of children and the identification of safe vehicles for the kids, as they added that it will play a critical role in ensuring their safety.
“As school children travel home for the holidays, there is an urgent need for all players within the road transport sector to put measures in place to ensure their safe passage. Close supervision of children and the identification of safe vehicles to transport them will play a critical role in ensuring their safety,” it said in a statement.
According to NTSA, the recent cases of reckless driving, distractions by students, and, unfortunately, some of the incidents being fatal can be prevented by close collaboration with law enforcement, parents/guardians, school management, transport service providers, and school children.
It added that they would be working with the National Police Service during this period and the Easter festivities to ensure the roads are safe and that rules and regulations for road safety are followed.
“There will be a major focus on driver/conductor behavior, vehicle safety compliance, and Usalama Barabarani education shall also be on top of our activities as we head to the Easter holiday,” NTSA added.
“All motorists are therefore required to practice road safety and take responsibility for their actions. We urge all road users to remain vigilant, exercise caution, and report incidents of dangerous driving to the Police,” NTSA said.
In the last six months, NTSA has suspended 288 driving licenses and 420 drivers subjected to a driver retest following public reports of driver misconduct, speed violations recorded on the NTSA Intelligent Road Safety Management System (IRSMS), findings from safety compliance audits conducted on Public Service Vehicle operators and court outcomes.
The call by NTSA comes after three students were fatally injured yesterday while travelling home from school along the Kisumu-Kisii Highway.
The three were among the twenty students who had boarded the vehicle outside their school premises and were headed to Kisumu.
Witnesses stated that the driver of the van lost control while trying to overtake a stationary lorry.
Several other people who were on board sustained serious injuries as the conductor also died on the spot.
