This archive report was first published on 13 January 2020.
Nairobi's Matatu Stages Pose Risk to Commuters ¶
Published on January 13, 2020
Matatu stages in Nairobi pose a significant risk to commuters, with an estimated 35% of road traffic deaths occurring within 20 meters of these sites, according to a new study.
The study, conducted in collaboration with the National Transport Safety Authority (NTSA) and the National Police Service, highlights infrastructure design flaws around matatu stages, as well as rogue behavior by drivers and a lack of safety consciousness among pedestrians.
"This staggering number is a call for action," the report says.
Developing a better understanding of how to regulate and enforce matatu flows, and driver and pedestrian behavior, while improving infrastructure at these sites, will be required to guide policy action.
Many pickup and drop-off points around the city lack safety features such as designated crossing points or protected sidewalks, exposing pedestrians to harm or even death.
Most highways in the country do not have footbridges, putting pedestrians at risk of fatal accidents.
The flow of public service vehicles is also slapdash, with crew jostling to drop off and pick up passengers, adding to the woes of pedestrians who make up a massive 71% of road traffic accident deaths reported by police between 2012 and 2018.
With walking as the main mode of transport in Nairobi, especially among the poor, the findings shift focus to improving safety features at matatu termini and city roads.
The NTSA has been fitting safety panels on major roads around the city to force jaywalkers to use designated areas for road crossing.
The study revealed that in Nairobi, traffic accident deaths and injuries are concentrated between 5am and 8am and between 5pm and 11pm, representing 53% (deaths) and 50% (injuries) of the total.
The deadliest times for pedestrians are at night between 7pm and midnight, when 41% of pedestrian deaths occur.
Implicating factors that need to be investigated further include poor visibility, drunk driving, and speed.
Additionally, pedestrian deaths remain a concern countrywide, with 1,390 cases registered in 2019, marking a 15.4% increase from the previous year.
Motorcyclists are also at risk, with the latest statistics showing that low-cost motorcycles now kill more people than vehicles.
The NTSA and regional authorities have been enforcing the Motorcycle Regulations 2015 to tame rogue cyclists.
