Defective vehicles, reckless driving blamed for festive season accidents, snarl-ups

With hundreds of people travelling to rural areas for Christmas celebrations, state agencies have reported an increase in defective vehicles on the road, resulting in accidents and severe traffic congestion.

To address the rising number of accidents, the government has launched a nationwide road safety campaign aimed at drivers, motorbike operators and motorists.

Grace Kakai, Assistant Commissioner of Traffic, emphasised the government's commitment to reducing fatal road accidents across the country. 

Speaking at a road safety awareness event in Naivasha, on the busy Nairobi-Nakuru highway, she emphasised the role of defective vehicles in causing accidents.

"Teams of traffic officers have been deployed on major roads across the country to ensure smooth traffic flow and compliance with road safety regulations as travelers head home for the festive season," she said.

According to Samuel Kimani, Chairperson of the Association of Kenya Driving Schools, speeding and overlapping by drivers were major issues addressed during the sensitisation campaigns.

He also explained the goals of the Usalama Barabarani Initiative, which aims to promote traffic law compliance and safer travel during the holiday season.

In collaboration with government agencies, Kimani revealed that speed guns and breathalysers had been deployed to monitor speeding and prevent drunk driving, both of which are major causes of accidents.

Joseph Gichohi, representing the NTSA Nakuru region, reported a decrease in road-related fatalities as a result of increased awareness and better compliance by public service vehicles.

However, he emphasized that over 4,300 road fatalities have been recorded this year, underscoring the need for a stronger police presence on highways to enforce traffic regulations.

Michael Kimani, a Nakuru County Government official, announced the allocation of Sh3 million for driver awareness programmes, including targeted initiatives for boda boda operators to improve road safety.

Meanwhile, Ireri Nyaga, a local resident, urged the government to expedite the Rironi-Mau Summit Highway expansion to address the Northern Corridor's high accident rate.