This archive report was first published on 2 July 2019.
On July 2, 2019, a group of residents from Thika launched a road safety awareness campaign to reduce the rate of accidents on Kenyan roads.
The initiative, dubbed 'KEEP LEFT UNLESS OVERTAKING & I SUPPORT SAFE DRIVING,' aims to promote self-regulation among drivers and raise awareness about the importance of following basic traffic rules.
According to the residents, most road accidents are caused by human error and ignorance of basic traffic rules. They believe that if each driver takes individual responsibility, the number of accidents can be drastically reduced.
As part of the campaign, the residents pasted 'KEEP LEFT UNLESS OVERTAKING' stickers on the rear side of several vehicles to act as a reminder to drivers.
James Ng'ang'a acknowledged the need for motorists to play their part in following traffic rules, regardless of whether there are police officers present. He noted that Kenyan road users often adhere to traffic rules only when there is a police officer on sight.
Thika Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Branch Secretary Mungai Ngige emphasized the importance of community policing and taking personal responsibility on the road.
