In a decisive move to uphold road safety, the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has suspended the driving licenses of a matatu driver caught on video driving recklessly.
The incident came to light when a video, filmed by a concerned motorist, went viral on social media.
The footage shows a matatu swerving dangerously at high speeds while passengers, many appearing to be young adults, dangle out of the vehicle’s windows.
The reckless behavior was met with concern from onlookers, with one female motorist in the video exclaiming, “Umebeba watoto?”
Following the public outcry and the video’s widespread circulation, the NTSA, aided by the road safety advocacy group Sikika Road Safety, launched an investigation into the matter.
The video prompted the NTSA to take immediate action, resulting in the vehicle being tracked down and the driver summoned for compliance checks at the NTSA Likoni inspection center.
According to an official statement from NTSA, the driver underwent a rigorous retest focusing on key aspects of road safety, including the Highway Code, Road Signs, and general Road Safety.
Unfortunately, the driver performed poorly in all areas of the retest.
“The driver was subjected to a compliance assessment which revealed significant deficiencies in his knowledge and application of road safety regulations,” the NTSA stated in a statement on X (formerly Twitter).
As a result of the failed compliance checks, the NTSA has suspended both the driver’s driving license (DL) and his Public Service Vehicle (PSV) license.
The matatu itself also failed the compliance inspection, further emphasizing the severity of the safety breaches.
