Nairobi — The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has sounded the alarm regarding the rising number of accidents and fatalities on Kenyan roads.

According to the authority, Nairobi, Nakuru, Machakos, and Kiambu counties collectively accounted for 36% of all fatalities among the 47 counties, with Nairobi county having the highest share at 11.80% of fatal crashes across the nation.

Mohamed Daghar, the Permanent Secretary in the state Department of Transport, emphasized the urgent need for coordinated road safety efforts involving both national and county governments to enhance the safety of Kenyan roads.

Speaking during a multi-sectoral stakeholder meeting focused on the Draft National Road Safety Action Plan for 2023-2027, which aims to achieve at least a 50% reduction in deaths and severe injuries in designated high-risk demonstration corridors and urban areas, Daghar expressed his concerns over the devastating consequences of road accidents.

"We cannot be losing over 4000 people every year, and that is just part of it. We have people with permanent disabilities, we create widows and orphans. We collapse an entire household because the breadwinner is lost. The net effect of this road safety challenge is beyond understanding," he said.

The proposed Draft National Road Safety Action Plan for 2023-2027 aims to establish a multi-agency, multi-sectoral committee tasked with providing a national strategic direction for implementing road safety policies in Kenya.

Road safety remains a critical issue globally, with the World Health Organization (WHO) estimating that over 1.35 million people die annually due to road traffic accidents, making them the leading cause of death among individuals aged 5-29 years and posing significant socio-economic burdens on societies worldwide.