KeNHA looks on as highways get debased

Road accidents continue to needlessly claim life and limb. A report by the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) shows that 1,983 people died in road accidents between January and September 2015. There were 332 fatalities as of April 3 this year, six more than last year at the same time.

Several factors account for road accidents, among them driver apathy, pedestrian negligence, vandalism of guard rails and road signs, illegal speed bumps, unmarked road works and to some extent, sign posts that obstruct the drivers view of the road ahead. Often, hawkers jump onto the road whenever a vehicle slows down to sell their wares; unaware of the danger they expose themselves to. Road signs have been brought down to be sold as scrap metal. In other places, the lanes have not been marked making driving at night and in bad weather a perilous undertaking.