A motorist has raised concerns over the accuracy of speed cameras being used by the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) to enforce traffic regulations along major highways.
The motorist says he received a notification requiring him to pay a KSh10,000 speeding fine, despite insisting that his vehicle was not on the road where the alleged offence was recorded.
According to the motorist, the incident appears to have resulted from a possible error in reading the vehicle’s registration number by the automated camera system.
NTSA camera allegedly captured wrong registration number
The speed camera reportedly captured a speeding Toyota NZE bearing registration number KBW 033X.
However, the system allegedly interpreted the registration number incorrectly and assigned it to the motorist’s FAW truck, whose registration number is KDW 033X.
As a result, the motorist was notified of a speeding offence that he says could not have been committed by his vehicle because it was not on the route at the time the alleged violation occurred.
The incident has raised questions about the reliability of automated number-plate recognition technology, particularly where similar-looking registration numbers could potentially be confused.
NTSA automated traffic enforcement
The cameras are part of NTSA’s efforts to expand automated traffic enforcement across Kenyan roads.
The system is designed to detect vehicles travelling above prescribed speed limits and capture key information, including the registration number, recorded speed and photographic evidence of the alleged offence.
Speed-camera evidence is recognised under Kenya’s traffic enforcement framework and can be used to establish and record a vehicle’s speed.
Under NTSA’s minor-traffic-offence framework, motorists flagged by the system can receive notifications detailing the alleged offence and the applicable fine, with payments made through prescribed channels.
Concerns over accuracy
While automated enforcement is intended to make traffic policing more consistent and improve road safety, the motorist’s experience highlights the importance of ensuring that the technology accurately identifies vehicles before penalties are issued.
A misread registration number could result in an innocent motorist being pursued for an offence allegedly committed by another vehicle.
NTSA has maintained that automated enforcement is aimed at improving compliance with traffic regulations and reducing road crashes by ensuring motorists adhere to prescribed speed limits.
