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Two Dutch tourists were yesterday morning killed in an accident involving their van and a lorry in Mariakani Maji Ya Chumvi on the Mombasa highway.

National Police Service spokesperson Resila Onyango said at least two other tourists, their driver and a guide were injured and rushed to hospital after the 7 am incident.

“The van was headed to Nairobi and the injured are admitted in hospital in a stable condition,” she said.

Onyango said the accident involved a trailer and the van carrying the tourists who were headed for Nairobi direction.

According to police headquarters, there has been an increase in fatal accidents this year. At least 4,282 people were killed in accidents between January and November 2024 as compared to 3,901 that were reported in the same period in 2023.

Serious injuries

More than 10,662 people sustained serious injuries between January and November 2024 as compared to the 9,501 recorded in 2023.

Of those killed, pedestrians made up the majority this year with 1,637 compared to 1,413 in 2023 while 788 passengers died between January and November 2024  compared to 673 of 2023.

A total of 21,620 accidents were reported between January and November 2024  compared to 20,191 in 2023 of the same period.

The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) says the leading causes of fatal crashes included hit-and-runs, tyre bursts, and vehicles and motorcycles losing control.

Also, overtaking improperly and failing to keep the proper lane resulting in head-on collisions are mentioned as causes.

Last week, Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja said they have deployed additional traffic police officers on the roads to ensure free flow of traffic.

“Through the multi-agency strategy, we are also collaborating with the National Transport and Safety Authority to conduct crackdowns and road safety compliance checks on the major highways, and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission to prevent corruption on the roads this festive season,” he said.

Apart from the roads, he said, Kenyans should expect to see more police presence and undercover officers.

“Evidently, road traffic accidents tend to increase during festive seasons, and already, we are seeing an increase in road traffic accidents this year,” the police boss said.