Economy

Road deaths up 9.5 pc in first months 2015

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Motorcyclists transport their clients to and from the busy Kisii town. Motorcycle passenger deaths in Kenya rose by 58 per cent in the first months of 2015. PHOTO | FILE |

The number of road fatalities in the country has recorded a sharp rise in the first four months of the year with boda bodas (motorcycle taxis) playing a major role, bucking a downward trend set last year.

Data from the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) shows that 804 people had died on the roads by April 8 compared to 734 for a similar period in 2014.

This represents a rise of 9.5 per cent, reversing last year’s downward trend where there was a reduction of 10 per cent in the number of road deaths.

Motorcycle passenger deaths rose by 58 per cent from 38 to 60. Traffic Commandant Charlton Mureithi said that together with NTSA they have formed a dedicated team targeting boda bodas and pedestrians in the accident hotspots around Nairobi.

“We want to bring sanity. You carry more than one passenger, you board a motorbike without a helmet and we are on you,” he said.

READ: NDEMO: We must regulate the boda-boda sector

Pedestrians continue to account for the bulk of those who die on the road at 344 deaths with those walking in Nairobi at a higher risk due to the improvements in roads that has seen vehicles move faster amidst a lack of walkways.

Safaricom chief executive Bob Collymore said that they have identified several black spots around Nairobi where most pedestrians are killed and asked fellow corporates to pay for marshals to help people cross the roads safely.

The black spots include North Airport Road, the Eastern bypass, Thika Road around Githurai area and Waiyaki Way.

“With the completion of the other high speed and high impact roads in Nairobi, there is a risk of increased serious and fatal injuries,” said NTSA director general Francis Meja.

“The planned removal of the roundabouts in Nairobi is a potential area which fatal and serious injury may increase.”

Mombasa Road, Thika Road, Waiyaki Way and Jogoo Road continue to be the most dangerous roads in the city accounting for 77, 60, 50 and 30 deaths in 2014 respectively.