Economy

Road safety drive targets festivities

A national road safety campaign was launched yesterday to reduce the number of deaths as end-year festivities draw closer.

The three-year campaign, dubbed ‘Toa Sauti’ and steered by an 11-member trust, seeks to promote responsible road use.

“This concerted education campaign is aimed at influencing behavioural change on the part of all road users,” said Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore at Wednesday's’s launch.

Statistics by the Traffic Police show that half of the 2,525 people killed in road accidents this year were pedestrians followed by passengers (607), motorcyclists (253), drivers (241) cyclists and their passengers (187).

On the Thika Superhighway alone, 111 people were killed, comprising pedestrians (77), passengers (22), drivers (eight) and motorists (three).

Traffic commandant Benson Kibui attributed the fatalities to speeding, drunk driving and vandalism of road infrastructure.

Between January to August, the number of road crashes decreased from 11,347 to 8,449 compared to last year while fatal crashes reduced from 2,833 to 2,109, according to statistics from the Ministry of Transport.

Road network

The government has spent more than Sh103 billion on expanding the road network to enhance safety.

“It is the intention of the government to bring into operation new traffic regulations that are geared towards restoring sanity on our roads,” said Finance minister Njeru Githae at yesterday’s event.

Matatu Owners Association (MOA) said it would jointly with the Motor Vehicle Inspection Unit, weed out unroad worthy vehicles.

The National Road Safety Trust has a five-year plan to create road safety awareness, change attitudes of road users, improve the design of road infrastructure and enhance response to medical emergencies arising from accidents.

The Nation Media Group is a joint trustee of the National Road Safety Trust together with major media companies. Other members are Safaricom, East African Breweries Limited, Total Kenya, General Motors, Direct Line Assurance, MOA, Kenyatta National Hospital, Traffic Police and Magnate Ventures.