Road Accidents Killed 2,672 Kenyans In The Last 9 Months

More Kenyans, 2,672, have died between the months of 1st January 2019 to 1st October 2019 than it happened at the same time in 2018, 2,286, according to data released by the National Transport Authority (NTSA).

The heart retching statistics reveal that motorists in Kenya are slowly losing their sense of responsibility not only on other road users but also on themselves and their passengers.

The release of the road carnage statistics came in the wake of the tragic Awasi accident that killed 13 people and left 38 others nursing serious injuries.

General Francis Meja, the NTSA director, on 4th October 2019, noted that a large number of the accidents had been as a result of private vehicles a negative growth unlike three years ago when public transport used to be a higher contributor.

“Two or three years ago, the public service vehicles used to be the second-highest contributor of road accidents after private motorists,” Meja said.

Meja added that a number of interventions had been implemented and accidents caused by PSV were now not as many ranking at position four.

Deaths caused by accidents caused by private vehicles have increased from 579 in 2018 to 702 this year, 2019 just like an increase witnessed in the number of deaths caused by motorcycles from 364 in 2018 to 542 in 2019.

Deaths caused by PSVs have greatly reduced from 2018’s 427 to 2019’s 411 as pedestrians and passengers continue to suffer from dangerous driving as 1,033 pedestrians and 524 passengers already mark the list of deaths in an incomplete 2019.

In 2018, 882 pedestrians and 521 passengers died which means if an intervention is not put in place immediately, double the number that died last year will die in 2019.

Meja said stringent measures will be put in place to ensure driving licenses of dangerous drivers were withdrawn as e added that human behavior is the major contributor to road accidents as drivers make reckless decisions that endangering even the lives of their passengers.

“The number of people we are losing on our roads is unacceptably high and it requires a lot of intervention from all stakeholders,” Meja said adding that one of the biggest challenges is human behavior and future interventions should zero in on the drivers.