NTSA Returns Alcoblow, Mobile Courts and Night Patrols Ahead of Festive Season

The government has reintroduced Alcoblow, mobile courts and intensified night patrols in a renewed nationwide crackdown targeting drunk driving and rampant traffic violations as the festive season gets underway.

The joint operation by the National Transport and Safety Authority and the National Police Traffic Department marks the toughest road safety campaign in recent years, coming at a time when Kenya is recording a worrying rise in fatal crashes.

Traffic Commandant Dr Frederick Ochieng said officers will mount more night operations after data showed that most deadly accidents occur after dark. He said police will be relying heavily on breathalyzer tests and speed guns as they go after motorists who have turned highways into danger zones.

He added that mobile courts are being revived so that offenders can be dealt with immediately, eliminating the long court delays and loopholes that have for years allowed drunk drivers and reckless motorists to slip through the cracks.

According to him, those arrested will be arraigned and sentenced on the spot as part of a strategy to deter violations during the high-risk December travel period.

In an unprecedented move, authorities have also opened the door for the public to record and report corrupt traffic officers.

Dr Ochieng said a toll-free number will be published on major highways where citizens can share videos of officers soliciting or receiving bribes.

The initiative is meant to discourage the long-standing culture of motorists exchanging bribes for freedom and officers using roadblocks as informal revenue points.

The crackdown comes against grim statistics.

NTSA reports show that by October this year, 3,890 people had died in road accidents, an increase of more than 85 fatalities compared to the same period in 2023. Pedestrians remain the most affected group, followed by motorcyclists, drivers and passengers.

The trend has rattled road safety advocates who argue that the situation will not improve unless the government tightens control over long-distance trucks and the boda boda sector.

Road Safety Association of Kenya Chairperson David Njoroge Kiarie said heavy commercial trucks and motorcycles account for a frightening share of casualties, yet oversight over them remains weak.

He said lorries often operate without proper inspection and boda boda riders continue to flout traffic rules with impunity. He warned that without decisive action on these two categories of road users, enforcement against alcohol and speeding alone will not be enough to reverse the country’s deadly trend.

The holiday season is expected to see millions of Kenyans travelling across the country, and police have already increased their presence on major highways, rural roads and blackspots. Motorists have been warned to expect more checkpoints, more breathalyzer tests and more night patrols. The government hopes the tougher stance will rein in the behaviour that has turned December into Kenya’s deadliest month on the roads.

Authorities say the campaign will continue throughout the festive season with the goal of reducing deaths and ensuring safer travel.

Road safety experts, however, insist that lasting change will require sustained enforcement, regular vehicle inspections, tighter regulation of commercial transport and serious investment in awareness campaigns long after the holidays are over.