A large number of the chip-empowered licences have been issued to PSV drivers.
PSV drivers have been linked to most of the deadly accidents that have claimed about 1,348 in the five months of this year.
The new generation e-driving licence is loaded with points that get deducted every time a motorist commits a traffic offence.
More than 7,000 motorists have acquired Kenya’s new digital driving licences, barely five months after the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) began issuing them.
NTSA director-general Francis Meja said in an interview that a large number of the chip-empowered licences, costing Sh3,000, have been issued to public service vehicle (PSV) drivers.
PSV drivers have been linked to most of the deadly accidents that have claimed about 1,348 in the five months of this year.
“We are now at 7,000 and the exercise has been rolled out to other towns such as Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, Kisii, Eldoret and Nyeri. All you need to come with is a copy of your old driving licence, a copy of the national identity card, a Kenya Revenue Authority PIN, blood group and Sh3,000,” said Mr Meja.
The new generation e-driving licence is loaded with points that get deducted every time a motorist commits a traffic offence. Any licence that is emptied of points is ultimately withdrawn from use.
The NTSA has also promised to temporarily confiscate licences of offenders, charge spot fines or send offending motorists back to driving school for refresher courses while repeat offenders will have their licences permanently withdrawn.
“At the moment, no preference is being given to anyone in the issuance of the licence. As long as you have the required documents and are qualified, the new generation driving licences are available in any of our centres,” Mr Meja said.
The digital licences, widely used in the West, are loaded with 20 points that are deducted progressively at a rate proportional to the offence committed.
A single point is deducted for minor breaches such as overlapping, over and above the levying of fines. Drivers will recover a single lost point if they stay for a week without committing an offence. Serious offences such as drunk driving and speeding will however result in loss of more than 10 points, fines and a raft of other disciplinary measures including loss of a license for life.
The NTSA will also share the information on rogue drivers with insurance firms, a move that could see such drivers’ premiums rise as they will be deemed risky clients.
“All drivers will be required to abide by the set regulations. The aim is not to punish anybody but to curb rising cases of road accidents,’ said Mr Meja.
Issuance of the new generation licences comes barely three months after the High Court ruled that driving schools and drivers of PSVs will not be required to undergo mandatory vetting.
Justice George Odunga suspended an NTSA circular that required certain categories of drivers to undergo fresh testing, pending the hearing and determination of a case filed by activist Okiya Omtatah.
Mr Omtatah had argued that the Traffic (Driving Schools & Instructors) Rules 2017 were against the public interest and could not be implemented by most schools.
