NTSA Announces Mandatory Medical Checks and Digital Monitoring for Drivers to Curb Road Accidents
The National Transport and Safety Authority has introduced new regulations aimed at improving road safety across Kenya. These measures focus on regular health assessments for drivers and the adoption of advanced technology to monitor driving behaviour in real time.
Under the new rules, all drivers, with particular emphasis on those operating commercial vehicles and public service vehicles, must undergo mandatory regular medical checks. The checks will identify health conditions that could impair driving ability. These include vision problems, hearing challenges, fatigue-related disorders, and chronic illnesses such as diabetes.
NTSA highlighted that vision impairments affect 20 to 30 percent of adults, while diabetes has a prevalence of 3 to 4 percent. Addressing these issues is vital to reduce risks associated with fatigue and delayed reaction times that often contribute to crashes.
In addition to medical requirements, the authority plans to establish resting stations for drivers along the Northern corridor. These facilities will provide long-distance motorists with opportunities for adequate rest during journeys.
NTSA will also roll out enhanced digital monitoring systems to track driver conduct on the roads. The systems incorporate telematics, dashboard cameras, and GPS tracking. They will monitor key aspects including speed, braking patterns, alertness levels, and compliance with traffic regulations.
Vehicles will need to install approved digital devices that send data directly to centralised platforms managed by NTSA. This setup will help detect risky driving patterns early and prevent accidents before they occur. The data will integrate with existing NTSA databases to build detailed driver profiles, supporting stronger law enforcement and greater accountability.
The authority described the approach as part of the Safe System Approach used by leading road safety nations and organisations, including the World Bank and the International Transport Forum. This method recognises that humans can make mistakes and that the body has limited tolerance to crash forces. It therefore designs systems to anticipate errors and limit their impact.
Fatigue, underlying medical conditions, and reckless driving continue to rank among the primary causes of road accidents in the country. According to the NTSA Road Safety Status Report 2025, commercial vehicles played a growing role in crashes. In 2024, they accounted for 1,087 incidents compared to 3,645 cases involving all other vehicle categories combined.
These reforms form part of a broader government strategy that emphasises data-driven and preventive actions to make Kenyan roads safer. The changes target high-risk routes such as the Nairobi-Mombasa highway and the Nairobi-Kisumu-Malaba corridor.
The measures aim to create a more proactive road safety environment by combining health oversight with technological surveillance. Drivers and vehicle operators are expected to comply with the updated requirements as NTSA moves forward with implementation.