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There was a marginal rise in the number of road fatalities between January to July this year, compared to the same period last year.

Data from the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) shows that 2,407 perished between January and July this year, an increase of 66 deaths compared to 2,341 fatalities during the same period this year.

This corresponds with the latest World Health Organisation (WHO) status report on road safety in Africa which indicates that road traffic death rates in the past decade significantly increased, with almost 250,000 lives lost on the continent’s roads in 2021 alone.

It has also emerged that the country spends an estimated Sh46.1 billion in health care costs annually attributed to road traffic injuries, largely contributed by accidents involving motorcycles. The NTSA data shows that in the first week of July alone, 24 fatalities related to motorcycle transport were recorded.

“Motorcycles contributed to the most fatalities between 1st and 7th July 2024 with recording 24 fatalities, followed by private (23), PSV (20), commercial (18), unknown (15) and government (1), while tricycle and pedal cycle had nil fatalities,” statistics from the NTSA shows.

The NTSA report seen by People Daily statistically shows that from January 7 to July 2024 the number of fatalities increased by 13.67 per cent from 2.82 per cent in the same period last year to 16.49 per cent this year.

The number of serious injuries increased between January and July 2024 at 6,083 compared to the same period last year at 5,194 with slight injuries also going up 4,083 this year compared to the 3,742 in 2023.

In the comparison of fatalities as per road user group, in the last seven months of 2024, 919 pedestrians have succumbed compared to the same period last year at 834. “We lost 210 drivers between January and July 2024 compared to 206 in the same period last year, while 478 passengers have died in the last seven months as opposed to 425 in January to July 2023,” the NTSA numbers show.

Pillion passengers

However, NTSA reports success in the reduction of pillion passengers (those commuting on motorcycles) this year at 199 as opposed to 216 the same period last year. “This clearly shows that the Authority is succeeding in educating Kenyans on road safety issues when using motorcycles,” said George Njao, NTSA director general.

In the period January to July 2024, the country witnessed 46 pedal cyclists succumb from road crashes, three less than 49 that died in the same period last year and 555 boda boda riders this year compared to the 611 who died last year.

The month of June in both periods under review, according to the NTSA data, were the worst with the country recording 411 deaths in 2024 from 439 the same period last year. This was followed by the month of March in both instances, still going up this year at 403 compared to March 2023 when 389 deaths were recorded.

Urbanised counties

“We saw a similar trend this year where in January the fatalities went up by 10 fatalities to 389 from the same period last year at 379. In April this year, there were 388 fatalities compared to 357 in 2023, while in the month of July, 101 people died compared to 97 the same period last year.

 Njao said fatality rates were higher in highly urbanised counties. “This is largely attributed to improvement of infrastructure and increase in population which has increased interaction between vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, motor cyclists and vehicles on the road,” said, indicating that Nairobi was the highest with 11 fatalities in the month of July alone followed by Kiambu (9), Kisumu (8), Machakos (6), Murang’a, Nakuru and Uasin Gishu (5) each; Embu and Nyeri (4), while Homabay, Kajiado, Kericho, Kirinyaga, Kwale, Makueni, and Meru (3) each; Kakamega, Kilifi, Kitui, Mombasa, Tharaka Nithi and Turkana contributed two (2) fatalities each, and one (1) each in Baringo, Bomet, Busia, Garissa, Kisii, Laikipia, Narok, Samburu, Siaya, Taita Taveta and Trans Nzoia.

Most of the fatal road traffic crashes occurred between 3pm and 11pm with the peak hour being between 9pm.

The NTSA attributes this to; reduced enforcement during these times, high volumes of traffic and pedestrians (rush hour), pedestrian crossing at non-designated or unsafe areas and getting knocked down or ran over by speeding vehicles, driver fatigue, poor visibility especially for pedestrians, and drink driving. Ministry of Health ranks road traffic injuries ninth as the leading cause of death in Kenya.

Medical services Principal Secretary, Harry Kimtai said in Nairobi yesterday during the launch of the report that besides the deaths, hundreds of thousands are seriously injured suffering long term impairments and lifelong disabilities.

“Those who survive undergo prolonged suffering and incur lots of expenditure from medical treatment and rehabilitation,” noted in a speech presented by Head of Family Division at the Ministry of Health, Dr Bashir Isaac.