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Road Rage: Here are the most common Causes of road carnages in Kenya

29/03/2019
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Do you ever wonder what constitutes the leading causes of road accidents in Kenya? Accidents on Kenyan roads have continued to be a cause of concern for the country and remain the subject of interest to government and citizens alike.

Here is a quick rundown of some of the often reported causes of road accidents.

Driving under the influence

Drunk driving is one of the much cited causes of the road accidents in Kenya. Drunk drivers are considered one of the most serious risks to road safety, and hence the huge penalties associated conviction in a court for drunk driving.

Intoxicated drivers have been blamed for much loss in the form of damage to property and maiming of victims.

The problem is particularly noteworthy in urban areas, where some people opt to stop at drinking spots on their way home.

Since its difficult to drive at high speeds within urban limits, most accidents usually don’t end with fatalities. However, they still cause a lot of damage, costing millions of shilling annually.

 Unroadworthy Vehicles

The second cause of accidents on Kenyan roads is the use of unroadworthy vehicles. Unroadworthy vehicles are usually poorly maintained and hence have problems with their critical systems.

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These vehicles may not be able to accelerate or brake properly and hence are highly likely to end up in accidents on the road. Some of these vehicles also break down along busy roads. They end up creating an obstruction to oncoming motorists.

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Other ways in which unroadworthy vehicles become a danger to other road users include emitting dense smoke which leads to poor visibility, failure to keep up with ambient traffic speeds, leading to long tails and forcing other motorists to engage in overtaking maneuvers.

Stricter implementation of vehicle inspection procedures can help reduce the number of unroadworthy vehicles on Kenyan roads.

 Careless Driving

Careless drivers and riders get a fair share of blame when it comes to accidents on Kenyan roads.

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Careless driving may include over speeding, dangerous overtaking, driving while using a mobile phone, or simply ignoring traffic signs such as speed limits.

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Riders, especially those operating motorbikes for public transport are especially notorious when it comes to the observation of traffic rules in the country. Careless driving and riding continues to be problem for the country.

 Failure to Use Safety Equipment

Image result for accident casualties

Many injuries that result from road accidents can be prevented by the appropriate use of safety equipment in vehicles. The most basic form of protection passengers in any vehicle have is a safety belt.

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Safety belts are known to save lives in the event of collisions by absorbing the impact and keeping passengers stationary in the event of a collision.

When an accident occurs and the vehicle users are not using safety belts, it is common for them to be tossed around, and usually more serious injuries result.

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On the part of riders and pillion passengers, the use of helmets is the minimum safety requirement. In this case, the helmet helps riders and pillion passengers to avoid or minimize head injuries, which are usually the most critical injuries suffered during motorbike accidents.

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