Thika Highway and the Nairobi-Naivasha freeway witnessed probably the most street fatalities final yr, a report by the Nationwide Transport and Security Authority (NTSA) exhibits.
The 2 overtook Outering Highway and Northern Bypass as Kenya’s deadliest roads as over 4,000 street customers lose their lives yearly within the nation.
In accordance with NTSA knowledge, the 50-kilometre Thika superhighway recorded 155 deaths throughout Nairobi and Kiambu counties, which it traverses, adopted by Nairobi-Naivasha freeway with 95 deaths.
Different roads with a excessive variety of accidents had been Outering, which recorded 54 fatalities, similar as Mombasa-Nairobi freeway, whereas the Nakuru-Eldoret freeway had 50 deaths, Japanese Bypass 42, Nairobi-Nakuru freeway 40, and Matuu-Thika freeway 36. Waiyaki Manner accounted for 29 deaths of 4,690 recorded on Kenyan roads final yr with the Northern Bypass contributing 26 deadly crashes.
NTSA boss George Njao shows a duplicate of the Nationwide Highway Security Motion Plan 2023-2027 on the Edge Conference Centre in Nairobi on Wednesday final week.
Photograph credit score: Bonface Bogita | Nation Media Group
The report revealed that Nairobi, Kiambu, Nakuru and Machakos counties witnessed 1,454 deaths, representing 36 per cent of fatalities recorded final yr.
Final yr, Nairobi contributed 474 fatalities adopted by Kiambu with 440, Nakuru 326 and Machakos 214.
NTSA Director-Basic George Njao mentioned many crashes happen on the Northern Hall, which drives the massive proportion of fatalities. In accordance with the NTSA, counties located alongside the Northern Hall stretching from Mombasa to Malaba account for 40 per cent of the 4,000 lives misplaced on Kenyan roads yearly.
Onlookers view the wreckage of automobiles concerned in a a number of crash involving six automobiles in Sachangwan in 2017.
Photograph credit score: Sila Kiplagat | Nation Media Group
“5 roads in Nairobi County, representing two per cent of the street community, account for 36 per cent of all deadly crashes within the nation,” mentioned Mr Njao. When it comes to the street person group, the NTSA knowledge reveal that pedestrians and motorcyclists are probably the most in danger, with motorcyclists accounting for 38 per cent, adopted by pedestrians at 35 per cent and passengers 16 per cent whereas drivers account for 9 per cent and cyclists two per cent.
To reverse the lethal development, Mr Njao mentioned NTSA is banking on a five-year initiative, dubbed “The Nationwide Highway Security Motion plan 2023-2027”, to cut back the street fatalities by at the very least 50 per cent.
The blueprint has set out eight nationwide strategic priorities and a timetable for motion and outcomes aimed toward decreasing deaths and severe accidents on the street.
Motorists shall be anticipated to keep up pace limits as little as 30 kilometres per hour as a part of a push for the introduction of a brand new pace restrict system primarily based on the perform, use, and security qualities of every street.
The 30 km/h pace restrict will apply the place there’s potential for collisions with pedestrians and cyclists, similar to villages, college zones or business areas, similar as the place kids combine with site visitors.
A 50 km/h pace restrict will apply the place there’s potential for facet affect collisions, similar to intersections whereas a 70 km/h restrict shall be anticipated in areas the place there’s potential for head-on collisions, similar to undivided rural highways.
The plan may also see the introduction of a graduated licensing system for bikes. All boda boda operators shall be required to affix a Sacco with a minimal of 100 members, with the teams required to deposit their registration particulars with NTSA and county governments.
The blueprint additionally targets to develop a nationwide street security coverage aligned with worldwide commitments in addition to establishing county transport and security committees, every of which can develop their very own county street security motion plans.
Outdated street design and working requirements shall be changed with requirements that prioritise person security over automobile pace.
A roadblock mounted by site visitors law enforcement officials along side the Nationwide Transport and Security Authority alongside Langata Highway, Nairobi.
Photograph credit score: Courtesy
“Present street designs prioritise the wants of motorised automobiles and don’t adequately think about the protection of susceptible street customers similar to cyclists, pedestrians, and motorcyclists,” mentioned Mr Njao.
The five-year plan can be rooting for the institution of the Nationwide Highway Transport and Security Fund as offered for by the NTSA Act to assist street security programmes.
In accordance with the plan, 10 per cent of funding for capital street tasks needs to be devoted to street security programmes.
Equally, all improvement companions and financing establishments for street infrastructure will allocate 10 per cent of all infrastructural prices to street security.
Additional, gas levy allocation to street security programmes shall be elevated to 10 per cent by means of related legislative and administrative actions. Different funds to the fund embody monies appropriated by Parliament, grants and donations made to NTSA, and monies from a supply accredited by the company.
Mr Njao mentioned the fund creates a chance for NTSA to handle a devoted street security fund, which can be allotted throughout the essential areas of exercise set out within the five-year plan, and in pursuit of the nationwide street security imaginative and prescient and targets.
Different areas to be supported by means of the fund embody street security administration techniques similar to crash knowledge, regulatory reforms, analysis and improvement, and coaching.
The plan additionally roots for a Nationwide Emergency Response system that hyperlinks street crash victims to medical support. The system is aimed toward curbing deaths ensuing from poor dealing with of sufferers by first responders.
The draft plan states that, whereas the nation has an in depth community of well being amenities with the most important ones outfitted with emergency items devoted to crash victims, a spot occasioned by poor dealing with of crash victims continues to trigger deaths that would have been prevented had correct emergency care been accorded on the scene of the accident.
“The harm severity and mortality charges are elevated by poor remedy on the scene of the crash and as victims are transported from a crash scene to the hospital,” says the doc.
To attain this, an funding in good-quality emergency well being providers alongside high-risk corridors and areas liable to site visitors accidents shall be prioritised by means of a multi-agency method involving county governments, the ministries of Well being, Transport, and Inside, and different stakeholders.
– Further reporting by Mary Wambui
