Drivers of private cars pose greatest danger on roads

NTSA officers check documents of a motorist along Lang’ata Road in Nairobi. [PHOTO: WILLIS AWANDU/STANDARD]

Most traffic fatalities occur on Saturdays, a new survey on road safety indicates. According to the 2015 Road Status Report released by the National Transport and Safety Authority,  603 people died on Saturdays last year. Another 567 died on Sundays and 465 on  Fridays.

The report attributes the weekend deaths to increased travel during this period, speeding, drink driving and use of unfamiliar roads.

The number of fatal accidents on Kenyan roads increased by 5.2 per cent to stand at 3,057, compared to 2,907 in 2014.

Statistics from the NTSA indicate that private cars caused the highest number of fatalities (35 per cent of the total).

And for the first time,  the number of accidents caused by private cars surpassed those involving passenger service vehicles.

It is likely that  private motorists will now face greater scrutiny from authorities to test for drinking driving or speeding. The NTSA must now go further and establish to what extent speeding and drink driving contribute to road accidents, especially if these accidents involve private cars plying our roads on weekends.

It is an open secret that many short distance PSV drivers drink throughout the day since they are fully aware that AlcoBlow stings are conducted at night, and the target is mostly private motorists.

If NTSA officers were to conduct stings during the day, and target PSV drivers, they would be surprised.

We need to encourage  behaviour change to bring down the number of casualties. Road users should be courteous and pedestrians who are the most affected, should be sensitised on road safety.

Comparing accident prevalence between privately registered units versus the PSV is akin to subjecting the monkey and the elephant to the same test — that of climbing up a tree.