EDITORIAL: NTSA must balance speed enforcement with saving lives

Five people were killed this weekend when a matatu rammed into a stationary trailer on the Nakuru-Eldoret highway. Eight others were injured. Sadly, this is not the first time Kenyans have died after crashing into stalled vehicles on busy highways. The tragedy raises a fundamental question: does the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) have an effective system for monitoring, warning motorists about and promptly removing stalled vehicles? A broken-down truck left dangerously on a highway can be as lethal as a speeding vehicle. NTSA deserves credit for stepping up speed enforcement. But the agency must strike a balance between chasing speeders and its wider responsibility to save lives. Officers sometimes hide in bushes, including areas where speed-limit signs are unclear or absent, waiting to catch motorists and issue instant fines of up to Sh10,000. Meanwhile, Public Service Vehicles routinely drive on pavements, make dangerous turns, overload vehicles and commit other violations with little apparent fear of enforcement. Questions also persist over the handling of speeding fines. Why are fines paid through cash in a particular bank when other NTSA payments are made through eCitizen? Where does the money collected go, and how is it accounted for? Road safety cannot be reduced to a revenue-collection exercise. NTSA must deploy its resources where they can prevent deaths—including identifying and speedily clearing stalled vehicles. Catching speeders matters. Saving lives matters more. Quote of the day: 'A positive impact stems from our admission that we were wrong or our thinking was wrong. 'I'm wrong' are two little words that can help improve our own positive attitude.' — American businessman Richard M. DeVos died on September 6, 2018