Motorist Association demands action against motorists filmed overlapping

The Motorist Association has called for swift and firm action against motorists caught on camera overlapping along a busy highway, saying the conduct showed blatant disregard for traffic rules, personal safety and the lives of other road users.

In a statement reacting to a video clip circulating online, the umbrella body representing drivers and vehicle owners said it was shocked by the manner in which the motorists drove recklessly, placing themselves and oncoming traffic in grave danger.

The association urged authorities to take immediate steps to identify and prosecute those involved.

“We urge the National Police Service, NTSA and the Director of Public Prosecutions to scan the identification plates of these motorists and issue a notice to attend court,” the lobby group said.

It further called for public summonses to enhance deterrence, invoking past enforcement measures that had proven effective.

“The summons should be in a newspaper advertisement. Michuki used to do that and it had a huge deterrent effect. These drivers have no excuse,” the association added.

Kenya recorded a drastic reduction of road accidents during the reign of Transport minister John Michuki in 2003-04 after he instilled discipline through strict, forceful enforcement of the 'Michuki Rules'.

The clip shared by the Motorist Association was filmed by a motorist travelling along the same stretch of road.

In the footage, several vehicles are seen squeezed into a narrow space between lanes while overlapping, despite clearly having no safe exit route.

As the driver filming the incident approached at speed, seemingly in a truck, the overlapping motorists appeared trapped, forcing the filming driver to veer partly off the road to avoid a head-on collision.

The manoeuvre underscored the danger posed not only to those overlapping but also to motorists lawfully using their lanes.

“These are the people who cause traffic jams. Look at me now, I’m forced to drive on the shoulders of the road,” the driver is heard saying in the clip.

He expressed disbelief at what he described as careless and illogical driving.

“This is surprising, overtaking knowing you have nowhere to go. Why can’t you just follow the queue and everything will align? These people in private cars are a nuisance, they are demonstrating a lack of common sense,” he added.

The incident comes amid increased vehicular movement on major highways as many Kenyans travel upcountry for the festive season.

Traffic has been particularly heavy on narrow road sections, where public service vehicles and private cars are competing for limited space.

The congestion, which sometimes lasts for several hours, has made overlapping an attractive option for some impatient drivers, despite the obvious risks.

The emergence of the clip coincides with ongoing joint road safety compliance operations by the National Transport and Safety Authority, the National Police Service and the Judiciary.

The agencies are conducting checks on major highways and imposing instant fines on motorists found flouting traffic rules.

Authorities say the intensified enforcement is timely, coming as Kenyans travel in large numbers for Christmas and New Year celebrations, a period historically prone to road accidents.

NTSA has said it hopes the joint operations will help reduce road carnage, particularly accidents linked to human error such as drunk driving, speeding and dangerous overtaking.

The authority acknowledged the danger overlapping poses, including the risk of head-on collisions or hitting pedestrians.

It added that the habit disrupts smooth flow of traffic, causes inconvenience to law-abiding drivers and leads to unnecessary congestion and frustration on the roads.

Regarding the incident captured on video, NTSA said appropriate action will be taken and asked for public cooperation.

"We kindly urge the public to report any instances of overlapping by providing the vehicle's registration number along with the date, time and location of the incident."

Under the Traffic Act minor offences rules, motorists found exceeding speed limits or obstructing and causing inconvenience to other road users are liable to a fine of Sh10,000 for each of the offences.

The Motorist Association has maintained that consistent enforcement, coupled with public accountability, is critical in curbing reckless driving and restoring order on Kenyan roads during the festive rush and beyond.