Concern as weekend road crashes claim 22 lives
The wreckage of the matatu that was hit by an oncoming trailer-truck at TM area along Bomet-Narok road on June 3, 2022 killing eight people. At least 20 lives were lost in various road crashes across the country over the weekend.
At least 20 lives were lost in various road crashes across the country over the weekend, adding to the growing list of accident fatalities recorded this year.
On Saturday night, 11 people died when a speeding Nakimu Sacco matatu they were travelling in veered off the road and rolled several times shortly after branching at the Kanyonyoo junction in Kitui County around 9.30pm.
Kitui County Police Commander Leah Kithei said nine people died on the spot and the other two succumbed while receiving treatment in Kitui and Matuu hospitals.
The passengers, comprising of friends and relatives, were traveling back to their homes in Kitui after attending a dowry negotiation ceremony in Mwingi.
Elsewhere on Friday noon, eight passengers died in a tragic accident along the Bomet-Narok road when the Ena Coach matatu they were travelling in heading towards Nairobi was hit by an oncoming trailer-truck at TM area.
Lorry driver lost control
Narok North Sub-County Police Commander Frederick Shiundu said the lorry’s driver lost control before ramming the matatu, killing five people on the spot.
Unfortunately, the death toll later rose to eight after three passengers who had been rushed to Narok County Referral Hospital succumbed to injuries.
The truck was reported to have lost control after its front right tyre burst, leading to the accident that extensively damaged the matatu, claimed lives and injured others.
Still on Friday evening, 20 people were rushed to Naivasha Referral Hospital following an accident at Kinugu area along the Nakuru-Naivasha highway. The accident involved a lorry, a 14 seater matatu and a private car.
Additionally, one woman died on the spot when the bus she was travelling in veered off the road and rolled at Losengeli area in Sabatia, Vihiga County as several others were rushed to Vihiga County Referral Friends of Jumuiya Hospital for treatment.
Stunts motorist
Meanwhile, NTSA is hunting for a private motorist seen pulling dangerous stunts while on the road in a clip that has since gone viral on Tik Tok.
In the clip, the motorist is seen stepping out of the moving vehicle to the bonnet area as the car is moving while claiming his prowess in sliding through the driver’s door out of a moving car and returning inside without losing its control.
“This is reckless and dangerous. We condemn the stunt and any other that may endanger the lives of road users. Share widely until the driver is found,” the authority posted on Twitter.
This is happening as the authority plans to hold the first national stakeholders conference on road safety in Mombasa starting Tuesday.
NTSA statistics show that the country has surpassed the number of lives lost and persons injured in road accidents between January and May last year compared to those lost within the same period this year by 158.
In that period, last year the country lost 1,754 persons, recorded 3,797 as sustaining serious injuries and 2,087 others as suffering slight injuries in various road accidents across the country.
This year, the records show that 1,912 have died on the roads, 3,691 sustained serious injuries and 2,694 others suffered slight injuries.
Pedestrians continue to account for a majority of the deaths with 573 dying on the roads within the period last year and 682 this year.
They are closely followed by motorcyclists with 495 deaths occurring last year and 530 others this year.
Passengers
Other classes of victims that accounted for high deaths were passengers at 290 in 2021 and 308 this year, drivers at 194 last year and 179 this year and pillion passengers at 158 last year and 185 this year.
The least fatalities were recorded from cyclists at 44 last year and 28 this year.
On Tuesday last week, the government warned of increasing road accidents caused by motorists and bodaboda riders who are using the wrong lanes, speeding and dangerously hanging on vehicles during campaign processions.
