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Kenya’s Traffic Act requires newly licensed drivers to display an 'L' sticker on their vehicles for at least one year after passing their driving test.
This law was designed with good intentions: to alert other motorists that the driver is inexperienced and to encourage patience on the road.
In theory, it is a protective measure that should give new drivers the space and understanding they need to build confidence.
In practice, however, the sticker has become a source of stigma. Instead of patience, many learner drivers face bullying, harassment, and ridicule from fellow motorists, matatu drivers, and even traffic police.
What should be a badge of safety often feels like a public mark of incompetence, leaving new drivers humiliated and anxious every time they take the wheel.
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1. Stigma from fellow motorists
For many learners, the greatest hurdle is not navigating a roundabout or adjusting to heavy traffic, but dealing with the impatience of seasoned drivers.
The L sticker often makes them an easy target. Instead of giving space, some motorists tailgate, flash lights, or hoot loudly to intimidate them. Others overtake recklessly, cutting them off in ways that would fluster even an experienced driver.
This kind of behaviour chips away at a new driver’s confidence. Such hostility undermines the whole point of the sticker, turning what should be a learning phase into a stressful battle for survival.
2. Matatu drivers: The loudest bullies
Among the most notorious perpetrators of this stigma are matatu drivers. Known for their aggressive driving style, matatus often dominate road space by speeding, overlapping, or pushing smaller vehicles aside.
For a learner with an L sticker, encountering a matatu can be overwhelming.
Many learners recall being hooted at, squeezed out of lanes, or deliberately cut off by matatus. Some report that matatu drivers shout insults or gestures as they pass.
Matatu operators in Nairobi CBD
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The irony is that this behaviour is dangerous for everyone, not just learners. By intimidating new drivers, matatus increase the chances of panic-induced mistakes that could lead to accidents.
Respecting learner drivers would not only protect them but also contribute to safer roads overall.
3. Harassment by traffic police
As if dealing with aggressive motorists were not enough, learner drivers also report frequent harassment by traffic officers.
Because the L sticker identifies them as new, they are often stopped more frequently, even for minor issues. Some recount being questioned harshly or threatened with fines for small mistakes such as stalling on a hill or hesitating at a junction.
While the law gives police the authority to enforce road rules, the intimidation learners face often goes beyond correction.
Instead of offering guidance, some officers exploit the situation, making learners feel vulnerable and embarrassed.
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Traffic police
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This culture of unnecessary pressure can discourage young drivers from respecting the very institutions meant to uphold road safety.
4. The emotional and psychological toll
Beyond the visible harassment lies the silent toll the L sticker takes on learners’ confidence. The constant bullying and ridicule can make them second-guess themselves, leading to shaky decisions and unnecessary panic.
Instead of learning in a calm, supportive environment, they are thrown into a storm of negativity.
A person driving a car
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Some drivers even admit to removing the sticker illegally just to escape the stigma. This puts them at risk of fines or penalties, but for many, the relief of driving without being marked outweighs the danger of breaking the law.