At least 1,139 people have been killed in road accidents in the past three months, raising concerns about a slide back into highway slaughter and prompting authorities to reintroduce alcohol tests for drivers nationwide.
Although the numbers are slightly less compared to the statistics for the same period last year, the bloodbath witnessed in the highways in recent weeks has caused public uproar.
Statistics from the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) and the Traffic Police Department indicate that 1,139 people died between January 1 and March 31, compared to 1,166 in a similar period last year.
In the past three months, 420 pedestrians have died in accidents compared to 434 in the same period last year. Also killed were 83 drivers, 189 passengers,130 pillion passengers,16 cyclists and 301 motorcyclists.
In the past one week alone, 24 people have died in road crashes. Scores of others are nursing injuries in separate road crashes across the country.
Now, both the NTSA and the traffic police are once again under public scrutiny for the tragedies blamed on recklessness, speeding, overloading and unroadworthy vehicles.
Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir, speaking in Bomet yesterday, announced the return of “alcoblow”, among other measures, to tame rising accidents.
“Alcohol testing operations will be back on our roads to tame motorists from engaging in drink-driving, which is partly to blame for the accidents we have witnessed in various parts of the country,” said Mr Chirchir. “We will do whatever it takes to bring sanity to the roads.”
Wreckage of a matatu belonging to Members Sacco that was involved in an accident on the Bomet-Kericho highway on April 5, 2025.
Photo credit: Vitalis Kimutai | Nation Media Group
Consequently, the National Police Service has been directed to undertake nationwide enforcement operations.
The latest accident, on the Kaplong-Kericho highway on Saturday evening, left 15 people dead and 14 others nursing injuries. The accident at Cheptaguge village in Daraja Sita area involved a lorry transporting sand, a 14-seater matatu and a saloon car.
The matatu belonging to Member Travellers Sacco and the private car were heading to Bomet town from Kericho while the lorry was heading to Kapkatet in Kericho County.
“The car was attempting to overtake a matatu when the accident occurred. It collided head-on with the lorry. The car was also speeding,” said Peter Ng’eno who witnessed the accident.
The Bomet accident occurred a few days after another road crash in Naivasha killed seven family members on March 31. They were coming from the burial of a relative when they were involved in the accident at High Peak area.
“The speeding Toyota Prado was overtaking another vehicle when it collided with a trailer. The driver was not able to control the vehicle because he was speeding,” said Naivasha Sub-County Police Commander Anthony Keter.
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On March 30, two brothers from Nakuru—David Mwangi and Paul Mwangi—died in a road crash involving three cars in Gilgil on the Nairobi-Nakuru highway. David, Paul and two farm workers, were travelling together in a Toyota Prado.
Police said the driver of a trailer was attempting to overtake other vehicles when he collided with the Toyota Prado. One of the containers the trailer was carrying fell on the Prado, killing the two brothers instantly. The two farm workers survived with injuries.
“In the past weeks, the country has witnessed cases of reckless driving, distractions by students, and unfortunately, some of the incidents led to fatal and serious injuries,” NTSA Director-General George Njao said in a statement, revealing that there would be a special focus on the behaviour of PSV drivers and conductors.
A saloon car that collided head-on with a lorry and a matatu at Cheptangulge in the Bomet-Kericho highway on April 5, 2025, where 15 people died and 14 were injured.
Photo credit: Vitalis Kimutai | Nation Media Group
“We are working with the National Police Service during this period and the Easter festivities. There will be a major focus on driver/conductor behaviour, vehicle safety compliance and usalama barabarani education. All motorists are therefore required to practice road safety and take responsibility for their actions,” the statement read.
NTSA said 288 driving licenses had been suspended since October 2024. A further 420 drivers had been subjected to driving retests after public reports of misconduct and speed violations were recorded on the NTSA’s Intelligent Road Safety Management System.
At the same time, Mr Chirchir said drivers will be monitored to check speeding, lane discipline, compliance with PSV licensing requirements and roadworthiness of vehicles.
According to NTSA, many accidents occur on the Northern Corridor at night or during weekends. A traffic police officer on the Naivasha-Gilgil-Kikopey-St Marys’ stretch of the highway said speeding and careless overtaking are the main cause of accidents along that section.
“Most of the accidents occur at night and are caused by speeding motorists. Overtaking and careless driving are also to blame,” the officer said.
According to David Ngugi, an engineer, design flaws, vandalism of road signs and reckless driving are contributing to turning some roads into death traps.
A lorry that was involved in an accident at Cheptangulge area on the Bomet-Kericho highway on April 5, 2025, claiming 15 lives and injuring 14 passengers.
Photo credit: Vitalis Kimutai | Nation Media Group
“An example of roads with design flaws includes the Narok-Maai Mahiu highway and sections of the Nairobi-Nakuru-Eldoret highway,” he said. “The much-awaited upgrade of the busy Nairobi-Nakuru-Mau Summit highway may greatly reduce accidents along the Northern Corridor.”
Mr John Kariuki, a motorist who frequently uses the Nairobi-Nakuru-Eldoret highway, said: “The past one month has become the deadliest so far this year. We expect the traffic police and NTSA to do their part; motorists and cyclists must be made to obey traffic rules and regulations. Recklessness on the roads is to blame for the rising accidents.”
