The National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) has announced that from 2026, vehicle owners will be required to remove broken-down vehicles from intercity roads and highways within 30 minutes to one hour, depending on the location.
The directive follows growing concerns from road users about the dangers posed by stationary and broken-down vehicles, particularly trucks, which have been identified as a major cause of road crashes.
Explaining the new policy, the Executive Director of the Authority, Abraham Amaliba, said the recently passed Road Traffic Amendment Bill makes it mandatory for vehicle owners to tow broken-down vehicles off the road within a specified timeframe or face sanctions.
According to him, vehicle owners will be required to subscribe to a towing service, though they will not be restricted to a single towing company. Insurance companies may also offer towing services under the new arrangement.
“Stationary vehicles are a major cause of accidents. Under the new law, starting next year, every vehicle owner must subscribe to a towing company. If your vehicle breaks down in a city centre, you have 30 minutes to contact a towing service. If it happens on a highway, you have one hour to do so,” Mr Amaliba explained.
He added that failure to comply will result in the NRSA removing the vehicle and surcharging the owner for the cost of towing.
He described the provisions as some of the key measures contained in the upcoming Legislative Instrument (L.I.) aimed at improving road safety across the country.