Zero alcohol for PSV drivers, annual private cars inspections in new NTSA rules

Motorists face a stringent regulatory landscape as the government rolls out a series of new, tough rules aimed at enhancing road safety and compliance.

The proposed regulations, to be reinforced by the National Transport and Safety Authority, cover vehicle inspections, commercial operations, school transport and drunk driving.

They introduce sweeping changes that will significantly impact drivers, vehicle owners and transport operators across the country.

In the works are rigorous compliance requirements that will reshape how vehicles are maintained, operated and monitored across the country.

Under the Traffic (Motor Vehicle Inspection) Rules, 2025, all privately owned vehicles older than four years will be required to undergo annual inspections to ensure roadworthiness. 

Public service vehicles, commercial trucks and school buses will be subjected to mandatory pre-registration checks and yearly re-inspections.

If approved by MPs, motorists caught driving without valid inspection stickers will face fines of up to Sh20,000 or six months in jail.

Vehicle testing centres and inspectors found issuing fraudulent certificates would also be subjected to hefty punishments, including license revocation.

The rules, drawn by CS Davis Chirchir, and of which Kenyans are to give their views by July 22, also mandate that vehicles involved in accidents must undergo fresh inspections.

Any structural modifications, such as changes to a car’s dimensions, engine or colour, would also require recertification.

These measures seek to curb the proliferation of unsafe vehicles, particularly in the public transport sector, authorities say.

Poorly maintained matatus and trucks have contributed to numerous fatal crashes, causing loss of lives.

The National Transport and Safety Authority (Operation of Commercial Service Vehicles) Regulations, 2025 impose strict operational requirements on trucks, trailers and other heavy-duty vehicles.

Operators would be required to install speed limiters, telematic tracking systems and retro-reflective markings to improve visibility.

Cargo must be securely covered to prevent spillage, with specific rules for transporting loose materials like sand, gravel and scrap metal.

Any uncovered loads risk fines and drivers must place reflective warning triangles at least 50 metres from stalled vehicles to alert oncoming traffic.

Commercial vehicle owners must also maintain detailed maintenance logs for at least two years and report fatal accidents to the NTSA within 20 hours, including driver details and vehicle condition.

NTSA will conduct random safety audits, checking driver qualifications, working hours and maintenance records.

Non-compliant operators risk license suspension or revocation, with penalties of up to Sh20,000 or six months’ imprisonment for violations.

These rules seek to address frequent accidents involving overloaded or poorly maintained trucks, which have been a major contributor to road fatalities.

The Traffic (School Transport) Rules, 2025, introduce some of the most detailed safety measures yet for vehicles transporting children.

All school buses must now be painted in a standardised yellow colour (Pantone 012C) and fitted with stop-signal arms, flashing red lights and seat belts designed for children.

Each bus must carry a fire extinguisher and elementary school vehicles must employ an attendant to help children board and disembark safely.

Drivers and attendants will undergo annual criminal background checks, with those convicted of child abuse or drunk driving permanently barred from working in school transport.

Medical fitness tests will also be mandatory and drivers must conduct pre-trip inspections to ensure no child is left onboard.

In the proposed rules, crossing guards, equipped with reflective jackets and stop signs, will be deployed near schools to manage traffic.

Motorists who ignore their signals risk six-month license suspensions, the regulations read in part.

The regulations also ban school buses from operating outside designated hours (5am to 10pm) and prohibit passengers other than students, teachers, or authorised staff.

Vehicles must have functioning telematics systems with passenger-facing cameras. Operators would be required to submit accident reports within 24 hours if a fatality occurs.

The country has in the past experienced tragedies where poorly regulated school vans were involved in deadly crashes, leaving families devastated.

The Traffic (Drink-Driving) Rules, 2025, introduce a near-zero alcohol limit for drivers of public service vehicles, commercial trucks and school buses.

Private motorists face a strict cap of 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath, with the regulations restating the use of breathalysers to ascertain the levels.

Police, the rules state, will use calibrated breathalysers, with officers required to maintain calibration records for court evidence.

Repeat offenders will face escalating penalties.

A first-time conviction may cause one a 30-day license suspension, with a second incident within a year leading to six months’ suspension.

A third offence within the same period results in a one-year ban, while a fourth conviction within two years of the third will see the driver’s license revoked for five years.

Refusing a breathalyser test is itself being made an offence, closing a loophole previously exploited by suspect intoxicated drivers.

NTSA is being empowered to conduct random checks, suspend non-compliant operators, and impose heavy penalties.