NTSA records show that more road users died this year compared to last year

More than four hundred boda boda riders and their passengers have died on the road since January this year.

This is according to National Transport and Safety Authority data which shows that a total of 341 boda boda riders and 139 boda boda passengers have lost their lives on the road in the report covering the eight months so far.

This is an increase from the same period last year, where 262 such riders and 130 of their riders lost their lives bringing the total to less than four hundred fatalities.

The number of riders who have sustained injuries whether serious or otherwise have also increased. Those who have been seriously injured are 398 while those who have sustained slight injuries are 120. This is an increase from last year where 330 were seriously injured with 83 slightly injured.

Their passengers have also recorded increased number of incidences where those who have sustained serious injuries have increased from 170 last year to 286 this year while those with slight injuries have also risen from 58 to 123 cases.

While speaking at a road safety forum at Kenyatta International Convention Centre early this month, the National Transport and Safety Authority Director-General Francis Meja attributed the high numbers to speeding, fatigue, drunken riding, poor driving/riding habits and skills at night, reduced visibility, as well as motorcycles operating in the midst of darkness with no right gear –reflective jackets hence not seen by fast flowing traffic.                                    

 The report also shows that most of these accidents occur between 1700 hours and 2200 hours with 2000 hours being the peak and the most affected age is between 20 and 40 years.

Low levels of road safety awareness among the boda boda riders has also been cited as the other major cause of the rising number of fatalities.

The Authority projects that the exposure to crashes will increase with the increased lengths of the paved roads coupled with the increasing population and motorization, as well as inadequate treatment of black spots.

With this in mind, the agency has rolled out new driving and testing curriculum to improve driving skills, attitudes, driver training, testing and licensing system to rein on the menace.