NAIROBI, Kenya — The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has warned motorists against tampering with vehicle speed limiters, saying the illegal practice is increasingly being detected during heightened festive season enforcement and poses serious risks to passengers and other road users.
In an advisory issued on Saturday, December 20, the authority said its enforcement officers had encountered public service vehicles (PSVs) and commercial vehicles fitted with manipulated speed governors, allowing them to operate at dangerously high speeds.
“Speed limiters are mandatory safety devices required by law on all PSVs and commercial vehicles to prevent speeding, a leading cause of fatal road traffic crashes,” NTSA said. “Tampering with these devices is illegal, endangers the lives of passengers, pedestrians and other road users, and undermines efforts to enhance road safety.”
According to the agency, motorists and vehicle owners often interfere with speed limiters by modifying electronic control systems or physically altering the devices to override set limits.
NTSA said the trend has become more pronounced during the ongoing festive season enforcement operations, which have seen officers deployed along major highways to curb road carnage as travel volumes rise.
“During the ongoing enforcement operations, we have observed increasing cases of speed limiter tampering,” the authority said. “We strongly warn all public service vehicle operators, drivers, and owners against tampering with or disabling speed limiters.”
The agency noted that such violations are a significant contributor to the rising number of road accidents in the country, particularly involving PSVs and heavy commercial vehicles.
Alongside speed enforcement, NTSA has also rolled out a nationwide anti-drunk-driving campaign, with random breathalyzer checks being conducted across major roads.
In a separate statement, the authority confirmed that several motorists had already been apprehended during Alcoblow tests as holiday activities peaked.
NTSA reported that multiple drivers were arrested along the Embu–Nairobi highway on Friday night, some registering dangerously high blood alcohol levels. Photographs released by the authority showed one driver recording a breathalyser reading exceeding 550.0 mg/100ml, far above the legal limit.
“Drink driving kills. It threatens your life and the lives of others,” NTSA warned.
Motorists intending to consume alcohol during the festive season were urged to appoint designated sober drivers or use alternative transport such as taxis and ride-hailing services.
The authority said enforcement against both drunk driving and speed limiter tampering will continue nationwide, warning that offenders risk arrest, prosecution and penalties under traffic laws.
NTSA has repeatedly cautioned that compliance with speed regulations and sober driving are critical to reducing fatalities on Kenyan roads, especially during peak travel periods such as the December holidays.
