Necessary measures for ending accidents

The death of so many people in the same place- Nakuru/ Eldoret highway – in different accidents in less than 24 hours and many others across the country in recent days should be a wakeup call to all Kenyans. 

Clearly, the current situation is untenable. The sad truth, however, is that all these deaths can no longer be viewed as statistics. As a nation, we need to be asking some serious questions about our collective driving behaviour, which seems to be the main reason for these high death rates, especially during this festive season.

A casual glimpse at the statistics by the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) on road accidents and other reports on the same indicates most fatal accidents are caused by motorists not obeying rules, poorly maintained vehicles, and careless driving.

It is philosopher Aristotle who said that excellence is an art won by training and habituation. So, in this case, we as a country can start by ensuring that the driver becomes the focus of a campaign strategy to make driving on our roads a safety issue once and for all.

In fact, the World Health Organisation (WHO) says Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda with respectively 29.1, 32.9 and 32.1 deaths per 100,000 people, are amongst the worst 10 performers - in terms of fatalities in Africa - and among the worst 20 worldwide. Uganda’s rate is a little better at 27.4.  Some 40 of the 50 countries with the highest road-death rates across all ages are in Africa. Tellingly, traffic accidents now kill more people than malaria in many African countries, including Kenya and Ethiopia. Last year alone, a total of 3,057 people lost their lives on Kenyan roads while many were left with serious injuries to nurse.

Statistics

Data from NTSA indicate an upward trend in road fatalities, with more drivers, passengers, and motorcyclists dying this year compared to last year. More appalling is the fact that the most affected age groups in terms of fatalities locally are 20-44 years with the peak age being 30-34. Yet, this age bracket is the most productive of the society. Obviously, we must wake up! But how is it that, after 50 years of independence, we cannot drive ourselves safely on our roads?

Kenya’s challenge is strategy-related, not lack of strategy. There’s need to invest more and spend less money and time on behaviour and attitude change to realise the road safety goals. Everyone with a responsibility for road safety – the national and county governments, law enforcement agencies, vehicle manufacturers, safety advocates and road users – need to reassess efforts to combat threats to road safety.

NTSA needs to look at more modern safety initiatives, including efforts to speed technology innovations that can improve safety and work towards comprehensive effort to fight drunk and unlicensed and night driving in major towns and highways.

Attitudes need to change. The road safety authorities need to work on behaviour change. Children and adolescents need to be taught the principles of safe driving and good driving attitudes. Older drivers need refresher courses to bring home safe-driving principles and to refresh their knowledge of traffic law; and by means of newspaper, radio, television, and other publicity, to draw the attention of all road users both to dangers and to safe practices on the road. And traffic police and other enforcement agencies need to change behaviour and tack. Messages that promote collective action against undesirable driving behaviour can reduce road carnage.

NTSA needs to consult widely to gather ideas, engage new partners, and generate additional approaches to combat human behavioural issues that contribute to road deaths. These consultations can address drunk, distracted and unlicensed driving; speeding; failure to use seat belts; drink-walking, drink-riding, and new initiatives to protect vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists. How can we involve everyone and make safety on the roads a national issue? Related to this is the fact that, while great public attention is focused on safety defects, and rightfully so, it is time to reinvigorate the fight against drunk and careless driving, distraction and other risks that kill thousands every year, and time for the country to reassess whether its making the right policy choices to improve road safety.

Road safety authorities could as well harness the indispensable power of the media and other organisations in communicating the message of road traffic safety. Spreading awareness by running specific messages about speeding, drinking and driving, seatbelts and traffic distractions, and through broadcasting can build a road safety culture in Kenya.

Information gap

Many people do not know the extent of the disaster which takes place on our roads every day. Kenyans need to be told and convinced that the challenge of road safety can be overcome, that the danger on the road is a man-made crisis which can be solved. The important tool is to reach to their hearts and in their lifestyle and inform young people through the use of social media. This is because, for young people, locally, traffic is killer number one.

Lastly, knee jerk reactions in the form of traffic swoops against offenders of whatever nature may not be the solution to the already overgrown problem that needs strategic long term interventions. On road traffic accidents, we have plenty of past experience to push us into action. And we should. That time is now.

Dr Mogambi, a development communication expert, teaches at the University of Nairobi: Email: [email protected]