The government's decision to subject all public transport drivers to alcohol test is a welcome move at a time when children are going back to school.
The move is also important and will go a long way to make roads safe given the country lost 3,663 people to road accidents last year.
But there needs to be caution during the alcoblow tests.
One is expected to blow into it for it to determine the alcohol content, if any, which makes it a catalyst for spreading communicable diseases and especially now with Covid-19.
As such, there is need for the authorities to find a way of ensuring the use of the breathalyser doesn't become a super spreader of Covid-19 at a time when the health workers are on strike. One of the ways of making the alcoblow test safe is by sanitising it every time it is used.
Second, there should be a way of observing social distance while conducting the test so that the officers and the drivers are protected.
For the roads to be safe, matatu owners also have to play their part in ensuring they don't overwork their drivers to avoid fatigue.
