Crash death toll rises as State announces fresh safety measures

The trailer rammed two 14-seater matatus and killing eight on the spot and injuring 20 others. [Kennedy Gachuhi, Nakuru]

The death toll in a road crash involving a trailer rose to 10 Wednesday as the government announced short and long-term measures to reduce accidents on the Ngata black spot in Nakuru County.

Representatives of Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) and the Nakuru County security committee on Wednesday visited the scene along the Nakuru-Eldoret Highway.

Led by Nakuru County Commissioner Gilbert Kitiyo and county police commander Peter Mwanzo, the delegation heard from the residents on the state of the killer road.

"We lost one more passenger and a driver who were receiving treatment. The truck driver is still at large but the owner of the impounded vehicle is in touch with us," said Mwanzo.

The Tuesday evening accident involved a trailer that rammed two 14-seater matatus and killing eight on the spot and injuring 20 others.

"We still have 16 survivors being attended to in hospital. They are in critical condition. Regrettably, we had two other separate accidents in Molo and Gilgil which claimed three more lives," he said. The residents told government officials of dangerous driving along the stretch despite the highway having only three lanes, one of which is a climbing lane.

Multiple deaths

Mwanzo said that in November, police recorded 238 accidents between Naivasha and Mau Summit, 30 of which resulted in multiple deaths while 44 others left victims seriously injured.

"Most of these accidents have been caused by trailers ramming into other vehicles. Most of these drivers do not observe lane discipline while others freewheel on dangerous terrain," he said. Three fatal accidents reported in the Ngata area during the period have all involved trailers joining lanes for oncoming traffic and crashing into motorists on the far right climbing lane.

The Ministry of Transport and the police Wednesday announced short and long-term interventions for the notorious Ngata black spot that is barely ten kilometers west of Nakuru City. "We shall enforce strict observance of 50km per hour speed limit along the stretch. We shall introduce alcoblows along the route to catch up with drunk drivers this festive season," he added.

Kitiyo announced the placement of rumble strips and relevant signage along the stretch which have not been there giving most motorists room to flout traffic rules.

Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen in a statement said the stretch between Ngata Bridge and Sobea would be expanded to a dual carriage.