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{
    "id": 71833,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/71833/?format=api",
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    "content": "Since 2003, the Ministry has adopted several measures aimed at enhancing road safety and these include the gazettement of regulations covering aspects of safety such as the use of seat belts, speed governors for public service vehicles, uniforms for drivers and conductors, among others. I wish to state that contrary to perceptions, none of these rules have been suspended. It is still mandatory for the PSVs to install speed governors. We have, however, noted that a number of PSVs have tampered with these speed governors thus allowing the vehicles to be driven at excessive speeds. Police check units and patrols still enforce the Traffic Act on our roads. However, hon. members will agree with me that we cannot have every vehicle policed. The Ministry is, therefore, turning increasingly towards drivers and pedestrians, road safety awareness and education sensitization because we know that over 80 per cent of road crashes are caused by human error and it is this that we need to target. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, in view of this, the Ministry has taken a different approach to road safety. We have revamped the National Road Safety Council as one of the initiatives aimed at improving road safety. The Council organized a one-day stakeholder conference on 19th October, 2010 at the Bomas of Kenya and the recommendations of the conference, when implemented, are expected to tackle the many challenges facing road safety initiatives in the country. The recommendations include encouraging the use of high occupancy vehicles, especially within our CBD and other major cities; the development of a national driving school training and driver curriculum, undertaking road safety audit and black spot analysis with a view to developing appropriate mitigation measures and establishment of the National Road Safety Authority, which Bill will be presented to this august House for enactment when ready. In addition, the Ministry has launched a transport information management system code-named “Teams” that will integrate and automate road safety agencies for information sharing. The Ministry remains committed to reducing the fatalities on our roads by undertaking the actions stated above and generally creating awareness amongst drivers on the need to be responsible while behind the steering wheel of any vehicle. As I conclude, I wish to appeal to hon. Members of this House to help in sensitizing their constituents, especially as we approach the holiday season where we expect more travel as people travel to meet their loved ones. As hon. Members, if we could do that and take the same responsibility that we have taken for the awareness on HIV/AIDS, we will save a number of lives. Thank you!"
}