NTSA urged all road users to prioritise the safety of the children as they go back to school as the authority  listed conditions for motorists to observe to avoid road carnage.

“As the festive season ends and the new academic school calendar begins, the Authority urges all road users to prioritize the safety of our children as they travel back to school,” NTSA said.

“This is a collective responsibility, and every effort must be made to prevent crashes that might result in fatalities or injuries.”

The Authority said that they have observed cases of blatant disregard for basic traffic rules during the multi-agency road safety compliance checks across the country.

NTSA added that multi-agency road safety compliance checks and the Usalama Barabarani education programme will continue nationwide.

The Authority said such behaviours may threaten the safety of the children during the school reopening period.

NTSA urged all road users to adhere to the Highway Code, remain cautious and reduce speed to ensure the well-being of our children.

“Private motorists, public service vehicle operators, school management and parents/guardians have a huge responsibility to ensure the safety of our children,” NTSA said.

The Authority added that motor vehicles used to transport children must have valid insurance, be roadworthy, fitted with functional speed limiters that transmit data to the NTSA Intelligent Road Safety Management System (IRSMS).

The vehicle must also meet all licensing requirements including valid road service licenses and inspection certificates among others.

“We urge parents, guardians, caregivers and the public to utilize the free NTSA Mobile App available on the Google Play Store, to verify essential details of Public Service Vehicles, drivers and conductors before allowing children to board the vehicles.”

NTSA said that children must not be allowed to board non-compliant vehicles to ensure their safety,

“We appeal to all citizens to continue advocating for road safety by being on the lookout and reporting non-compliant vehicles and reckless drivers. Necessary actions will be taken against motorists endangering the lives of road users.”