The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) unveiled seven measures for motorists in a bid to reduce the number of road accidents in the country.
Speaking during the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims in Nairobi on Sunday, November 20, NTSA board chairperson Agnes Odhiambo noted that the new policies would help the country tackle road accidents.
Among the measures unveiled include improving driver training and licensing through implementing the traffic rules that were launched in 2020.
NTSA also disclosed plans to operationalise county transport and safety communities in a bid to improve adherence to traffic rules starting from the local governments.
The road safety authority also revealed that it was at an advanced stage to develop a curriculum which will later be introduced in schools through a collaboration with Kenya Institute for Curriculum Development (KICD).
The NTSA board chairperson added that the agency had laid out plans to carry out audits to identify design flaws on major roads to improve motorists’ experience.
“Finalising on the development of the National Road Safety Action Plan to enhance coordination, management, and implementation of road safety priority plans,” Odhiambo added.
Besides launching audits and new curriculum targeting drivers, NTSA also intends to launch a nationwide campaign dubbed Usalama Barabarani and other education reforms to sensitize road users, including pedestrians.
Additionally, the safety authority noted that it would apply a multi-sectoral approach by including all government ministries, departments and agencies in rolling out the new reforms in the transport sector in the country.
According to the data released during the event, road accident-related fatalities rose to 4,103, surpassing fatalities reported in a similar period in 2021 when 3,947 deaths were documented.
To expedite accident-related cases, Chief Justice Koome pledged to institute reforms that would resolve all matters within the shortest time possible.
“We are working with all the actors in the justice sector to ensure that we realise our performance target, which is that: no court case should take more than three years on trial, and one year on appeal,” Justice Richard Mwongo stated while delivering Koome’s speech.
“With this benchmark, we are certain we will be able to deliver expeditious justice to Kenyans, including victims of road accidents,” she added.
Koome also appealed to insurance companies to speed up the compensation process for road accident victims in the country.
“I also call upon the Insurance Regulatory Authority to enhance its oversight over Insurance Companies with the goal of ensuring that Insurance Companies promptly pay decretal sums awarded to victims and families of victims of road accidents by courts,” Koome appealed.
Source: kENYANS.CO.KE