Thirty-one lives have been lost and 75 people left with serious injuries in 23 road crashes recorded in Kenya between August 1 and 13, the Kenya Red Cross has said, as it called for urgent action to curb speeding and protect pedestrians.
The agency said the figures point to continued danger on the country’s roads, with speeding, unsafe overtaking and fatigue among the main factors putting motorists and other road users at risk.
The Kenya Red Cross also wants authorities and motorists to pay greater attention to road safety within towns and cities, where pedestrians and other vulnerable groups face increased danger from vehicles travelling at high speeds.
It has proposed a 30 km/h speed limit around schools, markets and residential neighbourhoods as part of efforts to reduce the severity of crashes and protect people walking or cycling in these areas.
“23 crashes. 31 lives lost. 75 seriously injured in just 13 days of August. Speeding, dangerous overtaking and fatigue continue to cost lives on our highways. And in our towns and cities, reducing speeds matters too. We are advocating for 30 km/h limits around schools, markets and residential areas to better protect vulnerable road users,” the agency said.
The organisation has urged drivers to exercise caution, reduce their speed and remain attentive while using the country's roads to avoid further deaths and serious injuries.
The warning comes as a number of serious crashes have been reported in different parts of the country since the start of the month.
On Thursday, August 13, a Toyota Sienta crashed along the Embu-Meru Highway at Kaura Mijii, leaving several passengers feared dead.
The vehicle was reportedly headed from Chuka towards Chogoria when the driver lost control between Giampampo Stage and Mitheru. It subsequently left the road and plunged into a ditch.
The collision left the Sienta extensively damaged, with the engine, wheels and other parts scattered around the scene.
The occupants were said to be travelling from Ngara in Nairobi to Tigania in Meru to attend the burial of a business associate. Authorities had not confirmed the number of casualties as investigations into the circumstances of the crash continued.
The incident came three days after the Kenya Red Cross responded to another serious crash at Kijabe along the Nairobi-Nakuru Highway in Kiambu County.
On August 10, the organisation described the Kijabe crash as a mass casualty incident and said its emergency teams had been deployed to assist those affected.
First responders were sent to the scene, while ambulances from SHA Kenya were also involved in the rescue and treatment efforts.
Police had earlier reported that at least 21 people had died in separate road crashes across the country in the opening days of August.
Among the incidents was a crash in Parklands, Nairobi, involving a 16-year-old driver that claimed the lives of two pedestrians and seriously injured a 10-year-old boy.
According to police, the teenager was driving a Toyota Wish from Deep Sea towards Limuru Road when he lost control of the vehicle.
The car struck a drainage ditch, became airborne and then moved off the road before hitting three pedestrians who were walking along the roadside.
One of the victims, 48-year-old Muchuki Mangaa, died at the scene. Another adult man succumbed to injuries sustained in the crash, while the 10-year-old boy suffered serious head injuries and was taken to Aga Khan Hospital for treatment.
Elsewhere, two men died and three others were injured when a Toyota Hilux struck people who were working on a broken-down vehicle along the Marsabit-Segel Road.
The crash happened near the Dumpsite area after the Hilux, travelling from Marsabit towards Segel, allegedly swerved while attempting to avoid a head-on collision with a stationary Toyota Land Cruiser.
Police said the Land Cruiser had broken down and was left on the road with warning signs as its occupants worked to repair it.
The Hilux nonetheless veered towards the group, hitting four people who were repairing the vehicle before crashing into the driver's door of the Land Cruiser and losing control.
With the number of crashes continuing to rise, the Kenya Red Cross has appealed to motorists to make safer choices on the road while calling for slower speeds in places where pedestrians and other vulnerable road users are most exposed.