Motorists flouting traffic rules will soon face instant fines under a new technology-driven system the government says will help curb Kenya’s rising road carnage.
Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir on Thursday said cameras installed at major junctions will automatically capture violations and relay footage to a central control room, where fines will be processed.
Speaking at the opening of the National Road Safety Conference in Mombasa, organised by the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), Chirchir said the move is aimed at easing pressure on courts and instilling discipline on the roads.
“We are in the final stages, and the Cabinet will issue a memo. We are bringing together the police, judiciary and NTSA as the enforcers,” he said. “We do not want to overload our courts with petty offences. We understand that when there is instant discipline, people tend not to misbehave on the road.”
The plan comes as NTSA data shows road crash fatalities remain stubbornly high. At least 3,397 people have died in crashes in the first nine months of 2025 — an average of 12 deaths a day — with pedestrians and motorcyclists the most vulnerable.
According to the report, 1,285 pedestrians, 858 motorcyclists, 568 passengers and 309 drivers lost their lives over the period.
That is 28 more deaths than the same period in 2024, with 17,270 people overall affected by crashes this year.
Evenings remain the deadliest period, with three in 10 crashes nationwide occurring between 7:00 pm and 10:00 pm, when poor visibility, lighter traffic and alcohol consumption combine to heighten risks.
To tackle reckless driving, the government has drafted new Traffic (Drink Driving) Regulations, 2025, as part of a broader five-year National Road Safety Action Plan that targets blackspots, drunk driving and unroadworthy vehicles.
But questions remain over how the instant fines system will be financed and sustained. Chirchir acknowledged that “funding and maintenance” are under review, even as the Cabinet prepares to clear the proposal.
The government has also tied road safety to ongoing infrastructure upgrades, including the Rironi–Mau Summit highway expansion, the dualling of the Kwa Jomvu–Mariakani road, upgrades on the Nyali–Mtwapa–Kilifi corridor, and pedestrian bridges along Nairobi’s Outer Ring Road Bus Rapid Transit line.
Blackspot improvements are underway at Ngata Bridge in Nakuru, Bonje in Kilifi, and sections of the Kisumu–Kakamega highway.
Despite these efforts, NTSA says fatal crashes continue to rise, underscoring the urgency of the government’s proposed instant penalties.
