Special unit to be set up to probe road accidents

Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen cautions drivers and riders on road safety during the festive season before launching road safety handbooks on December 18, 2023. [David Gichuru, Standard]

A new institution will be formed to investigate road accidents in the country in a move that is likely to clip powers of the police.

Should the proposal be approved by the Cabinet, a special unit will now take over the role of probing road accidents.

Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen yesterday disclosed that the Cabinet approved a memo he tabled two months ago to have an independent institution be mandated to probe accidents.

"The Cabinet approved a memo to make sure that the oversight of investigation of accidents is going to be a responsibility of another body of government," said the CS.

Murkomen said the new independent unit will take over investigations in the transport sector comprising road, air and railway.

He expressed optimism that the unit will investigate accidents and give actual and independent outcomes that can be used to improve general safety while travelling.

"This will help in accountability such that statistics on road accidents will not come from NTSA (National Transport and Safety Authority) whose responsibility is to reduce accidents through regulations and oversight," the CS noted.

He spoke during the launch in Nairobi of the Usalama Barabarani Festive Season Campaign that is being spearheaded by NTSA.

According to the CS, deaths caused by road accidents have reduced from 4,352 recorded last year to 3,999 reported from January 2023 to date.

Out of the total deaths reported this year, 1,451 were pedestrians, 358 drivers, 682 passengers, 363 pillion passengers, 83 pedal cyclists and 1,062 motorcyclists.

The CS said many of the accidents were caused by private motorists.

"There has been a notable reduction of fatalities in all road user groups this year, except pedal cyclists when compared to the same period last year," said Murkomen.

He noted that the increase in pedal cyclists' deaths could be attributed to speeding vehicles, dangerous cling, unsafe changing of lanes, use of mobile phones, and failure to wear reflector jackets among others.

The number of victims who suffered serious injuries reduced from 9,698 to 8,974 in a year.

The CS also announced plans to retrain and retest drivers as well as revamp the driving curriculum in driving schools.

"We will also roll out the testing of drivers in terms of health standards to ensure they are of sound mind. Inspections of vehicles will also be digitised for easier tracking of the inspection exercises," said the CS.