Nairobi Expressway Issues STERN Warning To Motorists, Points Out PSVs
Motorists using the Nairobi expressway have been warned against carrying excessive passengers as the MOJA expressway flagged the practise which has become prevalent in recent weeks.
In a statement, MOJA Expressway Company Limited, the firm tasked with managing daily operations along the highway, flagged the practise as not only dangerous, but unlawful.
“Carrying passengers in overloaded vehicles is strictly prohibited on the Nairobi Expressway. Kindly adhere to the legal capacity for a safe and smooth trip,” warned MOJA Expressway.
Motorists have been urged to strictly observe the legal passenger and weight capacity limits for their vehicles, a rule that authorities say is essential to keeping the expressway safe and traffic flowing smoothly.
The warning came amid a prevalent practice, particularly among Public Service Vehicles using the highway, involving carrying more passengers than a vehicle’s intended capacity along the way.
It has been established that the practise is prevalent among PSVs joining the expressway from the Airport North Road connecting the Eastern bypass, where some passengers board the PSVs just before it joins the tolled road.
In some extreme cases, some PSVs have been reported to carry up to 15 passengers in excess, using the expressway with little to no consequences since there are no traffic officers on the road.
Why Overloading Is Prohibited On Expressways Globally
The expressway is built to handle high-speed, heavy-volume traffic, but overloaded vehicles disrupt those conditions entirely, creating risks not just for the driver but for every other road user sharing the facility.
Vehicle instability is one of the most worrying consequences of overloading.
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This is because excess weight raises a vehicle’s centre of gravity, making trucks and buses dangerously prone to rollovers, especially when moving at expressway speeds.
Brake failure is another potential risk of overloading, as when a vehicle carries more than it should, its brakes are forced to work far harder than designed, causing them to overheat and potentially fail at the worst possible moment.
For heavy commercial vehicles, since overloading also causes structural damage to expressway infrastructure, it can attract hefty fines.
In the worst case scenario, motorists who constantly commit infractions like overloading on the expressway can be subjected to a ban, which can be costly to overturn
Nairobi Expressway Issues STERN Warning To Motorists, Points Out PSVs
