The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has impounded 13 vehicles along Nairobi’s Southern Bypass over safety violations, including drink-driving, expired licences and inspection stickers, lack of valid insurance, broken headlights and cracked windscreens.
In a statement, NTSA said the vehicles were detained during a night-time safety compliance operation conducted by a multi-agency team on Wednesday.
“Last night, the inter-agency team conducted a safety compliance check along the Southern Bypass, during which thirteen (13) motor vehicles were detained,” the authority said.
The violations identified included drivers operating under the influence of alcohol, using expired driving licences and vehicles operating without insurance or in breach of insurance terms.
Other concerns were expired inspection stickers, broken headlights and cracked windscreens.
The operation forms part of NTSA’s renewed enforcement campaign aimed at improving road safety and reducing accidents, with night-time checks prioritised because of the risks associated with evening and late-night travel.
The authority has urged motorists to ensure their vehicles have valid inspection stickers and insurance, while drivers must carry valid driving licences and, where applicable, Public Service Vehicle (PSV) badges.
NTSA is also checking compliance with speed limits and whether installed speed limiters are functioning correctly and continuously transmitting data to the Intelligent Road Safety Management System (IRSMS).
Motorists are required to use the upgraded IRSMS portal at irsmowners.ntsa.go.ke to link their vehicles to licensed speed limiter vendors. A user guide is available at ntsa.go.ke/irsms, while queries can be sent to [email protected].
Long-distance public transport operators are also expected to maintain passenger manifests, driver logs to monitor driving hours and current inspection stickers. NTSA says enforcement will target vehicles carrying passengers or cargo beyond their authorised capacity.
Drivers are further required to comply with breathalyser screening, while passengers have been urged to wear seatbelts throughout their journeys.
The checks are being conducted under the Msimu Bila Ajali Usalama Barabarani campaign, which brings together NTSA and law enforcement agencies for day and night inspections along major transport corridors.
The authority has also warned motorists that official speed violation notifications are sent exclusively by SMS under the sender ID NTSA, urging them to report suspicious messages claiming to originate from the agency.