licenses among other changes.
The Rationale: "There are people who should not drive because of age or health reasons. Right now, as long as you can hold the steering wheel, you are good to go. There are some countries where the licences cannot be renewed for those past the age of 70 years," he stated.
The Effect: If adopted, the directive will lock out a huge population topping 718,000 people who will be forced to spend more money on hiring personal drivers or risk their wellbeing by boarding the risky public service vehicles.
Currently, anyone above 18 years is allowed to obtain a driving license.
The Numbers: In the ongoing operation, 22,958 drivers were arrested, 1,086 of which faced prosecution over drunk driving.
Motorcycle accidents, the top killer sector, accounts for 255 deaths of the 763 fatalities recorded since the beginning of the year. 5,590 motorcyclists have been apprehended and prosecuted and 6,692 motorcycles detained
Catch Up Quick: In our Tuesday edition of the Evening Brief Newsletter, we highlighted new rules fronted by Transport CS including the return of the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) to team up with the police on the road.
The government is also mandating all drivers of PSVs and trucks to undergo re-testing and all new drivers' medical fitness tested before receiving licenses to ensure that only medically fit drivers are licensed to drive.
Drivers in Stranglehold
As the population collectively makes plans for the Safari Rally in Naivasha expected to kick off on Thursday next week, the National Police Service and NTSA have different plans.
National Traffic Commander Mary Omari has revealed that the two departments will focus on the Nairobi-Nakuru Highway with a strict directive to all motorists not to overlap.
The Highway is known for intense traffic jams every festive cycle with an increase in road crashes.
