This archive report was first published on 15 October 2019.
According to a recent report by the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), hit and run accidents continue to claim the most lives on Kenyan roads. The report, released on October 15, 2019, revealed a 49 percent increase in hit and run cases between January and October 2019, with 925 incidents reported compared to 619 in the same period the previous year.
While losing control of a vehicle was the second leading cause of fatalities, with 451 cases reported in 2019 compared to 365 in 2018, human error was responsible for 98.07 percent of all fatalities, followed by mechanical problems at 1.93 percent.
Interestingly, the report found that most road accidents occur on Sundays, with 497 cases recorded in 2019, up from 412 in 2018. This is a significant shift from the previous year, when Saturdays were the most accident-prone day.
Other leading causes of fatalities included failing to keep to the near side, overtaking improperly, misjudging clearance, and error of judgment. Pedestrians, motorcyclists, and passengers were the leading victims of crashes on Kenyan roads, with pedestrians accounting for 1,049 deaths, motorcyclists for 815, and passengers for 554.
