Road accidents claim 710 lives in January, February

 

The government has raised an alarm over increasing road accidents in which 710 people perished between January and February alone.

Government Spokesman Cyrus Oguna on Tuesday said the number is much higher than the casualties recorded over the same period last year when 562 people died.

“Comparing the numbers of road accident cases between January and February 2020 and the same period in 2021, there is an increase of 148 cases,” Oguna said.

Oguna was speaking in Nairobi during a media briefing.

“These rising cases are ironical since due to the curfew and the movement restrictions, we are experiencing in the country, we expect the numbers to have reduced,” he said.

Among the dead were 230 pedestrians, 197 motorcyclists, 123 passengers, 79 drivers, 58 pillion passengers and 23 pedal cyclists.

Oguna said it was baffling that Africa has the least number of vehicles compared to other continents but the highest number of fatal crashes.

“If we can fix our behaviour and attitudes, the number of crashes on our roads would significantly come down,” he said.

He said the government has put in place plans to construct road resting stations for drivers to curb the accidents.

The resting points will be constructed along Malaba-Mombasa and Busia-Nairobi highways.

Those targeted are long-distance and heavy commercial drivers who are subjected to fatigue due to a lack of resting points. Fatigue among drivers is a leading cause of accidents.

The Transport ministry is also planning to ensure road safety education and awareness is spearheaded with the help of NTSA.

“The boda boda safety association of Kenya is already at the forefront to have all its members undergo safety training in collaboration with NTSA and NYS,” Oguna said.

The ministry also plans to incorporate road safety into the school curriculum to instil responsibility into students.

“Schools already are teaching road safety in their curriculum, whether it is taken seriously or implemented, I doubt it,” Oguna said.

He hit out at the Judiciary for leniency on traffic offenders terming the penalties as not good enough to curb the carnage.

“Traffic police and the judiciary have been instructed to be more firm, strict and decisive with road safety violations and the Judiciary is urged to be uncompromising with highway code breakers by making them face the law and pay stiffer penalties,” Oguna said. BY THE STAR