With thousands of learners expected to travel home for the August school holidays, the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has rolled out a nationwide road safety operation aimed at reducing crashes involving school-going children.
The exercise will be carried out jointly with the National Police Service, County Transport and Safety Committees, and other partners, with enforcement teams deployed along major highways and transport routes to ensure vehicles comply with traffic regulations.
Officers will conduct routine inspections on school transport vehicles, checking critical safety features such as speed limiters, brakes, tyres, lights and seat belts.
Authorities will also verify driving licences, PSV badges, vehicle inspection certificates and road service licences, while intensifying action against speeding, overloading, drunk driving, driver fatigue and other offences that put passengers at risk.
“As schools close for the August holidays, we urge parents, guardians, school transport operators, motorists and all road users to exercise extra caution. Increased movement of learners during this period raises the risk of road crashes, and every driver has a responsibility to protect lives by observing traffic laws. We also encourage members of the public to report reckless driving and any incidents that may endanger children through the relevant emergency response channels,” said NTSA.
The authority noted that the operation will also include public awareness campaigns to encourage responsible road use throughout the holiday period.
NTSA said the success of the initiative will depend on the cooperation of motorists, transport operators and the public, urging everyone to play their part in ensuring children arrive safely at their destinations.
As holiday travel begins, the agency maintains that vigilance, strict adherence to traffic rules and collective responsibility remain the best defence against preventable road tragedies.
