This archive report was first published on 10 September 2021.
Kenya's road accident toll rose sharply in 2020, despite government-imposed travel restrictions aimed at curbing the spread of Covid-19.
According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) Economic Survey 2021, released on September 10, 2021, the number of accidents increased by 24.2 percent to 8,919 in 2020, even as Kenyans were working from home and moving less during night curfews.
Fatalities from road accidents also increased by 10.8 percent from 3,586 in 2019 to 3,975 in 2020, while the number of persons seriously injured rose by 15.5 percent to 8,026.
However, the number of persons slightly injured dropped by 4.6 percent to 4,969 in the review period.
Experts suggest that the rise in accidents could be attributed to drivers engaging in risky behaviour such as speeding and drunk driving, as people rushed to beat curfews in major urban centres.
"Drivers involved in road accidents increased by 20.0 percent to 1,753 while those seriously injured increased by 26.6 percent to 824 in 2020," the KNBS said.
