Ruto calls for careful driving as December emerges Kenya's deadliest month

President William Ruto. [File,Standard] President William Ruto has urged Kenyans to exercise caution on the roads during the festive season as December 2024 emerges as the deadliest month in the country's history, with road crashes claiming 470 lives. In his Christmas message on Wednesday, Ruto called on Kenyans to drive carefully and avoid unnecessary losses during the holiday season. "Kenya, 2025, we clocked it. I wish you a Merry Christmas, a great and blessed 2026. Na kule barabarani, let's drive carefully. Avoid unnecessary losses," said Ruto in a video message to the nation. The president's appeal comes as National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) data shows 4,748 people lost their lives on Kenyan roads in 2024 compared to 4,324 the year before, marking a 10 per cent increase and making December the deadliest month with 466 to 470 fatalities. The two weeks leading to Christmas have witnessed multiple fatal crashes across the country, claiming scores of lives in accidents that have left families devastated. On December 15, twelve members of the same family died in a crash at Chabera along the Kisii-Kisumu highway after their van collided with two lorries. The victims were returning from a wedding ceremony in Kakamega County and were heading to Nyamaiya in Nyamira County when the tragedy struck. Kenya Red Cross said 28 people were injured in the accident, with 12 in critical condition. Former Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo died on December 13 after his Mercedes-Benz collided head-on with a Climax Coach bus at the Karai area of Naivasha along the Nairobi-Nakuru Highway at around 3 am. Jirongo, 64, died at the scene from head injuries sustained in the crash. One day before Jirongo's death, eight members of the same family were killed in an accident near Ekerenyo in Nyamira County along the Kericho-Nyamira highway. The crash involved a 14-seater shuttle belonging to Quarser Sacco and a trailer. On December 15, six people died at the Olonin bridge blackspot on the Bomet-Narok road, adding to the mounting toll at one of the country's most dangerous stretches. At least 13 people die on Kenya's roads daily, according to NTSA data, with December recording the highest concentration of fatalities due to increased travel volumes during the festive season. NTSA attributes most road crashes to speeding, overloading, failing to observe lane discipline, improper overtaking and driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol. National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang'ula called the continued loss of lives on Kenyan roads a national concern and urged all road users to act responsibly during the busy holiday period. "Drivers must ensure their vehicles are roadworthy and obey traffic rules, while passengers should report reckless conduct to help avert tragedy," Wetang'ula said in a statement. The Rift Valley region has the highest concentration of blackspots with 13 locations identified as hazardous, while the North Eastern and Eastern regions have the least. Many of the Rift Valley blackspots are on the Nairobi-Nakuru-Eldoret highway, part of the Northern Corridor that connects Kenya to Uganda, South Sudan, Rwanda and Burundi. In Nairobi, Outering, Eastern Bypass, Thika Superhighway, Waiyaki Way and Northern Bypass are among the roads that recorded the highest number of fatal accidents during the year. Nakuru County recorded 420 road deaths in 2024, while Machakos saw fewer than 200 deaths compared to at least 208 deaths in 2023. Mandera County reported no single road crash-related deaths during the period under review, followed by Wajir and Samburu with one fatality each. NTSA estimates that road crashes cost the country between 3 per cent and 5 per cent of its gross domestic product annually. Pedestrians remain the most vulnerable road users, accounting for the highest number of deaths, followed by motorcyclists and their passengers. The authority continues to urge motorists and all road users to exercise caution, ensure their vehicles are roadworthy and strictly adhere to traffic rules.

Ruto calls for careful driving as December emerges Kenya's deadliest month

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