Rwanda National Police

In a bid to ensure maximum traffic safety, Rwanda National Police (RNP) reminds car owners to take their vehicles for mechanical inspections to ensure that they are road worthy.

It is observed that some of the accidents recorded are due to vehicle mechanical related faults, which Police insists can be prevented if all car owners heed the presidential decree that was passed to regulate general traffic police and road traffic.

Vehicles that do not satisfying the set technical criteria after inspection, under this decree, are required to repair them before they are given a certificate and allowed to hit the road again

The decree No. 85/01 of September 2, 2002, partly, stipulates that owners of vehicles using public roads without a mechanical inspection certificate will be liable to a fine of Rwf25, 000.

Currently, there are three inspection centres; one in Remera, Gasabo District, in Gishari and the Mobile Test Lane.

Chief Inspector of Police Emmanuel Kabanda, Spokesperson for Traffic and Road Safety, said that although there are some car owners who have responded to the call, there are others who have kept deaf ears and resulting into loss of lives.

“Remera and Gishari centres receive about 350 and 50 cars respectively, per day, while the mobile vehicle inspection lane has the capacity to inspect about 100 cars every day. Through these three centers, inspection services are diverse and can be accessed in a short time,” CIP Kabanda said.

“We always sensitize road users on traffic rules, but some of them still breach these rules therefore harming people and destroying infrastructure. We cannot afford to watch on as accidents happen due to carelessness – and that is why we call for mandatory safety inspection of all vehicles.”

“Private car owners are supposed to take their vehicles for inspection at least once in a year, while cars used for business purposes must be inspected after every six month, but this should stop  not someone from taking their cars for inspection whenever they feel necessary, even before the awarded certificate expires,” Kabanda said.

“After inspection, a car owner is expected to repair all the conditions indicated in two weeks, after which he or she qualifies for an inspection certificate,” he said.

Main areas of evaluation include; service brakes, brake lights, tires, seat belts, headlights, Turn Signals, windshield, no dangerous cracks, wipers, horn, exhaust system, steering, among others.

“Despite the huge number of vehicles we deal with on a daily basis, we always make sure that all vehicles are checked thoroughly to ensure that each vehicle is in the right conditions to transport passengers or goods in order to avoid accidents,” he said.

He noted that the inspection centers now evaluate gas emissions from cars in order to ensure that the environment is protected from harmful emissions.

“We have modern tools that measure gas emissions from cars – those with dangerous gas emissions are not offered an inspection certificate until the condition is rectified,” he said.

RNP plans to establish other mechanical inspections centers in Ngoma, Musanze, Huye, Karongi and expand the capacity of the one in Kigali.