School buses and vans carry thousands of children across Kenya every day, making school transport safety an important part of the country’s traffic laws.

Kenyan law sets requirements affecting school vehicles, drivers, speed limits and the safety of children travelling to and from school.

In 2026, the government also published dedicated Traffic (School Transport) Rules, 2026, although their parliamentary review remains unresolved.

For the wider legal framework governing passenger transport, see Public Transport Laws in Kenya: Commuter Rights, Rules and Regulations.

What Does the Traffic Act Say About School Transport?

Section 105B of Kenya’s Traffic Act contains specific requirements for vehicles transporting children to and from school.

The law requires vehicles designated for transporting children to be clearly identifiable as school transport.

School vehicles are also subject to Kenya’s wider requirements on vehicle roadworthiness, licensing and safe operation.

What Is the Speed Limit Around Schools?

Kenya’s Traffic Act imposes a maximum speed of 50 km/h on roads within the boundaries of nursery, primary and secondary schools.

The same limit applies to areas used by children when crossing to and from school where those areas have been designated as pedestrian crossings.

Road authorities are also required to provide appropriate safety infrastructure around schools, including signs and measures such as speed bumps or rumble strips where applicable.

Drivers should therefore exercise particular caution when approaching schools, pedestrian crossings and areas where children are entering or leaving school.

Must Children Wear Seat Belts?

Seat belts are an important part of school transport safety.

Where a vehicle is fitted with seat belts, occupants should use the appropriate restraints, and school transport operators have a responsibility to ensure children are carried safely.

Children should not be transported in a manner that exposes them to unnecessary danger or exceeds the safe carrying capacity of the vehicle.

The same principle applies across Kenya’s passenger transport system. For a broader look at passenger protections, see Matatu Passenger Rights in Kenya: What the Law Says.

Can School Vehicles Be Overloaded?

A school vehicle should not carry passengers beyond its authorised capacity.

Overloading increases the risk of injury and can interfere with the proper use of seats and safety restraints.

Schools, vehicle owners and drivers therefore need to ensure that the number of children carried is consistent with the vehicle’s authorised passenger capacity.

What Requirements Apply to School Transport Drivers?

A person driving a school transport vehicle must hold the appropriate driving licence and comply with the requirements applicable to the vehicle being operated.

Drivers must also comply with Kenya’s general traffic laws covering matters such as speeding, dangerous driving, careless driving and drink-driving.

Where the vehicle falls within the public service vehicle framework, additional licensing and driver requirements may apply.

For an explanation of Kenya’s commercial passenger vehicle licensing system, see PSV Licensing in Kenya: Requirements for Matatus and Buses.

Who Is Responsible for the Condition of a School Vehicle?

Responsibility does not rest with the driver alone.

Schools, institutions and independent transport providers operating vehicles for students must ensure those vehicles comply with applicable roadworthiness and safety requirements.

A school should therefore not knowingly allow children to be transported in a vehicle that is unsafe, improperly maintained or otherwise operating contrary to traffic requirements.

What About Private School Transport Providers?

Not every vehicle carrying schoolchildren belongs to a school.

Parents and schools frequently contract independent operators to transport students.

The regulatory framework recognises independent school transport providers as distinct from institutions that own and operate their own school vehicles.

Using an outside contractor therefore does not remove the need to comply with applicable transport and road-safety requirements.

What Are the Traffic (School Transport) Rules, 2026?

The government published the Traffic (School Transport) Rules, 2026 — Legal Notice No. 11 of 2026 — on February 13, 2026.

The Rules were designed to create a more detailed regulatory framework for school transport providers, vehicles and student safety.

However, their parliamentary review has become an important part of their legal story.

The Senate Committee on Delegated Legislation recommended that the Rules be annulled. As of September 2026, the Senate motion seeking their annulment had repeatedly been deferred.

Parents, schools and transport providers should therefore pay attention to further parliamentary, government and NTSA developments concerning these Rules.

Who Regulates School Transport in Kenya?

The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) plays a central role in regulating road transport, vehicles and drivers.

The National Police Service is responsible for traffic enforcement, while road authorities also have responsibilities for infrastructure and safety measures around schools.

Schools themselves have an important duty to ensure that transport arrangements provided for their students comply with applicable safety requirements.

What Should Parents Check?

Parents using school transport should pay attention to the basic condition and operation of the vehicle carrying their children.

Warning signs may include apparent overloading, unsafe driving, poor vehicle condition or a driver repeatedly ignoring traffic rules.

Parents should raise safety concerns with the school or transport provider and, where necessary, report serious road-safety violations to the relevant authorities.

School Transport Safety Is a Shared Responsibility

Keeping children safe on the journey to and from school involves more than the person behind the wheel.

Drivers must obey traffic laws, vehicle owners must maintain safe vehicles, schools and transport providers must operate responsibly, and road authorities must provide appropriate safety measures around schools.

Kenya’s school transport regulatory framework is also developing, particularly following the publication and ongoing parliamentary consideration of the Traffic (School Transport) Rules, 2026.

For more guides on the rules governing passenger transport, start with Public Transport Laws in Kenya: Commuter Rights, Rules and Regulations or read Matatu Laws in Kenya: Rules Every Commuter Should Know.

This article provides general public information about Kenyan transport law and should not be treated as individual legal advice.