By Joyce Chimbi
Nairobi, Kenya: Despite Kenya’s comprehensive National Road Safety Action to guide the period 2023 to 2027, road transportation in this East African country is today characterized by alarming fatalities and serious trauma.
So alarming that the most recent data from the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) indicates that fatalities from road accidents across the country have increased by 7 percent over the period, January to March 20, 2024. The carnage has resulted in an estimated 1,026 deaths, up from 956 deaths in a similar period in 2023.
A breakdown from NTSA shows that among the 1,026 are 384 pedestrians, 242 motorcyclists, 225 passengers, 82 pillion passengers or persons who sit behind the rider on a motorbike, 77 drivers, and 16 pedal cyclists. Further attributing these deaths to a breach of road safety regulations.
“There is a very bad culture around road use in Kenya. It is more of a mindset issue than a lack of road safety rules and regulations. Pedestrians, motorcyclists, cart users, cyclists, and drivers all act as if they have the right of way and everybody should go first. People jump onto the road and even major highways even where pedestrian crossing areas are available, accessible, and clearly marked,” says Robert Njau, a Nairobi-based road safety expert.
While the World Health Organisation (WHO) report on road safety for the year 2023 shows that road traffic deaths have fallen by 5 percent since 2010, in Kenya and more so as 2024 unfolds, road traffic deaths are shaping up to become a national pandemic.
WHO’s Global Status Report on Road Safety 2023 is the fifth in a series measuring progress in reducing road traffic deaths. This report covers progress between 2010 and 2021 and sets a baseline for efforts to meet the United Nations Decade of Action 2021–2030 target to halve road traffic deaths by 2030.
The world health body continues to raise the alarm that with more than 2 deaths occurring per minute and over 3200 per day around the world, road traffic crashes remain the leading killer of children and youth aged 5–29 years.
As such, road crashes remain a persistent global health crisis, with pedestrians, cyclists, and other vulnerable road users facing an acute and rising risk of death.
Kenya is increasingly alert to the acute and rising risk of death in 2024 and is taking steps to avert the catastrophe by developing a comprehensive road safety profile. According to the Police National Crash Records 2022, “fatal crashes are highly concentrated in few locations. Overall, 40 percent of fatalities are located in five out of 47 counties, representing 27 percent of the population.
Additionally, the records show that “Five roads in Nairobi County, representing 2 percent of the road network, account for 36 percent of all fatal crashes in the county.”
“Kenya’s road safety profile is well documented in police reports including the time period when fatal crashes are highly concentrated. According to data generated from police reports, 26 percent of crashes in Nairobi County – which represents 30 percent of all crashes across the country – take place from 19.00 to 22:00. This information is very useful in helping the nation develop effective strategy,” says Nancy Nginyo, from NTSA.
She says the aforementioned danger period could signal higher speed as during 19:00 and 22:00, there is typically a significant decrease in congestion, just after the main rush hour period. Other factors include lowered visibility and driving under the influence.
Highly concerning. Nginyo says there is a disconnect between enforcement and behavior and going by NTSA records on “198 breathalyzer tests conducted in Nairobi in 2023, 52 percent of those that were above the legal limit never appeared in court and therefore did not pay a fine.”
Towards developing effective road safety policies, NTSA recognizes that understanding road user behavior is key. Based on video data collected at 38 blackspot locations within the Capital, Nairobi, only 24 percent of pedestrians use the designated crosswalk when it is available.
Additionally, NTSA data show that while “helmet use is high among drivers at 82 percent, only 26 percent of pillion passengers wear a helmet even though helmets are 41 percent effective at preventing death for passengers and reduce the risk of injury by 69 percent. The presence of a helmet alone is not necessarily enough; ensuring helmets are of adequate quality and properly worn is important for their effectiveness.”
All factors considered, NTSA is particularly focused on risk targeting in road safety interventions while paying particular attention to enhancing the safety of vulnerable pedestrians and motorcyclists.
