Long-distance trucks and passenger service vehicles will be fitted with telematics devices in cabins, as the State moves to curb the rising road carnage.
Telematics devices are hardware systems installed in vehicles to collect and transmit data about their performance and driver behaviour.
Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir also said inspection will be franchised, where private players other than the government will certify the roadworthiness of vehicles across the country.
Appearing before the National Assembly’s committee on Transport on Thursday, 14, 2025, Mr Chirchir said long-distance drivers will also get resting places on the roads.
"It is unfortunate that we have lost so many lives in the recent week. I send my condolences to the affected families,” Mr Chirchir said.
“We are going to employ more technology to assist drivers on the road. For those driving for more hours, we will deploy telematics in the drivers’ cabins.”
He said vehicle inspections will be intensified to ensure that the cars, lorries, and buses are roadworthy.
Mr Chirchir told the committee, chaired by Ndia MP Goege Macharia, that the ministry is developing regulations that will allow inspection of vehicles to be franchised and not just a preserve of the government.
“I urge Kenyans to take responsibility. People, be they drivers, boda boda riders, and pedestrians, should not be careless on the road,” Mr Chirchir said.
Mr Macharia had asked the Cabinet Secretary to explain the measures that the government is taking to address road accidents.
Mr Chirchir raised concern over the sharp rise in road accidents this month and announced new measures to address the problem.
He said the government will set up rest zones for long-distance truck drivers to reduce fatigue-related crashes.
Mr Chirchir said the ministry is working with the Kenya Red Cross to map dangerous black spots across the country.
“These areas will get priority for road expansion and safety upgrades that are similar to the planned Nithi bridge expansion,” he said.
To improve safety, he said, monitoring devices will be installed in truck cabins to track driver behaviour and vehicle performance in real time.
He said vehicle inspections will be handled by licensed private operators nationwide, making checks more accessible and efficient.
Mr Chirchir urged all road users to take personal responsibility, stressing that safety is a shared duty and not just the government’s job.
Horrendous road accidents have since claimed more than 40 lives this month after several people died in several locations across the country.
The worst was the horror smash at the roundabout in Kisumu in which 26 people died when a bus ferrying mourners overturned at the Coptic roundabout blackspot on the Kisumu-Kakamega highway.
The driver reportedly lost control while negotiating the bend. Eight days ago, eight people died and scores were injured in an accident involving a cargo train and a Kenya Pipeline Company bus at the Morindat Junction in Naivasha, Nakuru county.
The driver of the bus allegedly crossed the railway crossing without checking, leading to the accident that saw the train drag the bus for over 200 metres.
