NTSA Moves Swiftly to Safe Students lives as Schools Close
On Friday, August 4, the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) unveiled new traffic safety initiatives focused at preventing accidents involving schoolchildren.
The authority’s Road Safety Strategy Manager, Samwel Musumba, noted that beginning next week, public transportation will be closely monitored, with special attention given to the behaviour of students in vehicles and their compliance with safety belt usage. The second term is coming to an end, and schools are getting ready to close next week.
Musumba noted earlier incidents in which children were seen drinking alcohol after school let out to underscore the need for more stringent oversight and to guarantee the security of students when they travel.
“When we uncover these buses, we will surely take legal action as a government agency since that is wrong. We need to safeguard our kids and make sure they return home safely, he said.
Musumba stressed that motorists who disobey traffic laws run the risk of having their licences revoked. To minimise situations where cars sped up to get to their destinations sooner, school administrators were advised to let pupils out of class earlier.
Additionally, it was strongly urged for institutions planning to transport students using their buses to make sure the vehicles are in good condition.
NTSA Moves Swiftly to Safe Students lives as Schools Close
Additionally, drivers are either overworked or stressed. Find a replacement driver for the drivers when they report feeling unwell, said Musumba.
The NTSA’s actions came months after road agencies faced criticism for an accident on the Nakuru Highway in April that claimed the lives of six students.
According to reports, the motorist struck a lorry in the Delamare neighbourhood in Naivasha after attempting to overtake it.
Also Read: Date When Primary and Secondary Schools will Close Next Month
The country’s worrying increase in traffic accidents prompted the Ministry of Transport to propose strict new regulations in July.
Kipchumba Murkomen, the cabinet secretary for transport, issued a number of regulations to address the problem, including a requirement that all public service vehicles (PSVs) and school buses be fitted with dashboard cameras and telemetry.
The National Transport and Safety Authority’s (NTSA) most recent figures highlight how serious the problem is. Their research shows that a total of 2,124 people perished in road accidents in Kenya between January and June 2023.
