NAIROBI, Nov. 6 (Xinhua) -- Kenya plans to monitor public service vehicles in real time in order to boost road safety, the transport regulator said on Tuesday.
Francis Meja, director-general of the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), told a media briefing in Nairobi that public transport will be fitted with upgraded speed governors that will relay information to a central command center so that appropriate action can be taken in real time.
"This is the direction we want to go in order to enhance public safety on the roads," Meja said during a meeting with public service vehicles.
The east African nation on Monday launched a crackdown on public service vehicles to ensure they have safety belts and speed governors.
The government has issued a notice that requires all public services vehicles to comply with traffic act by Nov. 12.
Meja said that Kenya is keen to improve the safety of public vehicles because they transport the bulk of passengers in the country.
He said that currently only 85 percent of public service vehicles operating on the road are properly licensed, while only 74 percent and 68 percent of drivers and conductors respectively are compliant with traffic laws.
Meja said that the government also plans to reintroduce instant fines for those who violate traffic offences.
In 2016, the high court temporarily suspended the instant fines for those who commit minor traffic offences.
According to the transport regulator, Kenya's new smart driving license will enhance road safety by capturing driving records of drivers.
"It will operate on a merit system such that points will be deducted for each traffic offense committed," Meja said.
He observed that the rate of insurance premium paid by drivers will be determined by the road safety record as reflected by the smart license.
