NTSA must act to curb accidents

Recently, the Matatu Owners Association accused traffic police of negligence that has led to numerous road accidents in the last few months.

 

Every day, traffic police manning the roads can be seen collecting money from public service vehicles, and especially matatus. Traffic policemen have created cash collection centres and the illegal deals that happen there have become an accepted norm.

 

What does the National Transport Safety Authority have to say about this? Can it confidently say that our roads are safe? Because indeed, every time an accident happens panic sweeps across government officers and stakeholders, with each trying to shift blame to the other party and in the process the matter is forgotten, until the next accident happens.

 Suggestions such as, stop bus travel at night, use alcoblow to ensure there is no drunken driving, wear seats belts, implement Michuki rules fly in the air, with opinion leaders trying to outdo each other on whose opinion makes most sense.

 

And the circus goes on and on, year after year. Unless we put a radical and holistic road safety strategy geared towards reducing injuries and deaths which are on surge on our roads now, these problems will haunt us for a long time.