Traffic Offenses In Kenya And Their Penalties

By Robai Ludenyi

Road accidents in Kenya reached alarming levels in 2025. According to the latest report by the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), over 3,397 people have died in road crashes between January and September this year. That means, on average, 12 lives are lost every single day on our roads. Most of the victims are pedestrians and motorcyclists, followed by passengers and drivers.

The leading causes of these crashes include speeding, careless overtaking, drunk driving, and failure to follow basic road rules. The sad truth is, these accidents don’t just affect one person. Behind every crash are a grieving family, lost income, and sometimes permanent injury. Kenya is losing productive citizens, and the cost to the country in hospital bills, damaged property, and lost lives runs into billions of shillings each year.

The cost is not just emotional, it’s economic. Reckless road habits now cost Kenya roughly 5 percent of GDP annually (around Sh310 billion), as health, loss of life, property damage, and disruption to business take a heavy toll.

As the government continues to enforce traffic laws more strictly, every driver, rider, and pedestrian needs to understand the rules of the road. Knowing the common traffic offenses and their penalties is a key step toward reducing accidents and saving lives.

These are the common traffic offenses and their Penalties in Kenya (2025):

Dangerous overtaking – Ksh 100,000

Slight speeding (1–5 km/h over limit) – Ksh 500

Speeding (6–10 km/h over limit) – Ksh 3,000

Speeding (11–15 km/h) – Ksh 6,000

Speeding (16–20 km/h) Ksh – 10,000

Driving without a valid license – Ksh 7,000

Failure to renew driving license – Ksh 1,000

Not carrying a driving license while driving – Ksh 1,000

Not wearing a seatbelt – Ksh 500

Disobeying traffic signs – Ksh 3,000

Refusing to stop when instructed by police – Ksh 5,000

Driving on pavements or pedestrian walkways – Ksh 5,000

Read Also: Understanding The Revised NTSA Traffic Offenses And Fines: A Guide For Safer Roads

The author is Robai Ludenyi. Journalist and Media Innovator