Brace for new speed limits as government moves to curb rising road accidents

Motorists across the country should brace for new speed limits as the government ramps up efforts to curb a rising tide of road carnage.

The move comes as the current speed limit regulations, last updated in 2016, have expired, leaving a regulatory gap at a time road fatalities continue to climb.

Transport CS Davis Chirchir said on Wednesday the National Transport and Safety Authority is working on a complete overhaul of speed regulations.

The regulator is doing this in consultation with stakeholders and the Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs).

“The 2016 speed limits regulations expired. I am advised there is a lot of work being done by NTSA currently,” CS Chirchir said when he spoke to senators.

“We are working on that to ensure that we update and ensure the regulations are in place.”

The 2016 rules had introduced a system of instant fines for speed violations, ranging from warnings for exceeding the limit by one–five kilometres per hour to fines of up to Sh10,000 for higher offences.

Urban centres were capped at 50kph and enforcement relied heavily on speed cameras to reduce the need for court appearances.

The regulations also applied to public service vehicles, which ferry thousands of passengers daily on the highways.

However, the statistics show existing measures are failing.

Last year, road accidents claimed at least 4,400 lives and left more than 17,000 people injured—a three per cent increase from the previous year. The situation appears to be worsening.

Preliminary data for January 2026 alone indicates nearly 400 fatalities, representing an 11 per cent rise compared to the same period last year.

Speeding continues to be a major contributor to these deaths.

PSVs, long-distance buses and commercial vehicles remain among the leading causes, raising serious questions about driver compliance and road safety enforcement.

In response, CS Chirchir outlined a sweeping plan to address the crisis.

During the Senate session, Senator Tom Ojienda pressed the ministry on measures targeting fatal accidents involving long-distance passenger buses.

Chirchir revealed the ministry has established a multi-agency team to conduct urgent road-safety audits on accident-prone highways.

“The teams are tasked with reconstructing crash scenes and identifying hazardous design features or missing safety infrastructure for action,” he said.

A series of coordinated measures will follow, combining engineering improvements, strict enforcement and operational oversight.

These include intensified patrols and joint enforcement operations on high-risk corridors, mandatory inspections to ensure the roadworthiness of PSVs and commercial vehicles, and public education campaigns targeting drivers, operators and pedestrians.

The ministry plans to engage local media such as Ramogi TV and Wach Maber radio to raise awareness of road safety, focusing on heavy commercial vehicles, PSVs, boda bodas, tuk-tuks and pedestrians.

Known blackspots will be redesigned and collaboration with the National Police Service will strengthen enforcement of driving-hour limits for long-distance drivers.

Only licensed operators will be allowed on long-distance routes, with strict adherence to journey plans limiting continuous driving to four hours.

Night drivers will be required to take minimum rest breaks of eight hours before resuming duty and PSVs must operate with two drivers where necessary to ensure safety.

CS Chirchir said the government’s strategy is comprehensive, combining legislation, enforcement and public sensitisation to save lives.

“We are committed to reducing road accidents and protecting the lives of all Kenyans,” he said.