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Alarm as road accidents claim 1,189 lives since January

The scene of an accident in Bomet County on March 18, 2024, that left five people dead and 18 injured. (Photo: Barack Oduor)

By Eastleigh Voice Reporter | Friday, April 5, 2024

Some 98 drivers have lost their lives in road accidents. This is a decrease compared to 108 in the same period last year.

Road accidents across the country have claimed 1,189 lives since the year started, painting a devastating picture of Kenyan roads. The statistics are an increase compared to the 1,129 recorded in 2023.

This is according to data from the National Transport and Safety Authority between January 1 to April 1, 2024.

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Pedestrians lead in fatalities at 436, compared with 374 recorded last year.

Motorcyclists followed recording 276 deaths marking a slight decrease compared to 311 in 2023.

In 2024, at least 255 passengers have lost their lives in road crashes compared to 211 in 2023.

Some 98 drivers have lost their lives in road accidents. This is a decrease compared to 108 in the same period last year.

Pillion passengers recorded 102 deaths compared to 105 witnessed last year.

This year, only 22 pedal cyclists have died from an accident within the period under review compared to 20 recorded in 2023.

In March, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki said that the severity of road accidents in the country is rivalling epidemics in terms of fatalities, terming it a “huge problem.”

“Between 2020 and 2022, we had COVID-19, a terrible epidemic. In those 2 years, the number of people who died out of COVID-19 was 4,600, yet in one year alone, 4000 people are dying out of traffic accidents, meaning this problem of road traffic accidents is worse off than even serious epidemics like Covid-19,” he said.

The CS appealed to motorists, drivers, boda riders, and motor vehicle owners to work together with the government to prevent further loss of life.

Kindiki also warned that going forward, the government will take stringent action against any individual flouting road traffic regulations.

“When we commence this crackdown, I don’t want to hear complaints from the boda boda riders or anyone that we are out to get them. We will be merciless on everyone—drivers, boda boda riders, pedestrians, motor vehicle owners, enforcement officials, all of us must work together so that we can bring down this problem,” he warned.

The CS also urged traffic police and other security agencies to uphold patriotism by ensuring strict adherence to traffic rules.