Early morning accident at Fort Tenan , Kericho County claims 50 lives .The Western Express bus was from Nairobi and heading to Kakamega.
The 52 Western Express bus was travelling to Kakamega when it over turned, in Fort Tenan near Kipkelion. Several casualities have also been reported in that early road accident. The bus plunged into a valley leading to the lose of lives.
Among those retrieved from the Bus which rolled are 9 children. The operation of rescuing is still on going to recover the remaining bodies while those who sustained injuries have been rushed to various hospitals.
This accident comes just after the National Transport and Safety Authority revealed a report on the increasing number of deaths related to road accidents.
Traffic fatalities in the country increased by 8 per cent during the first half of 2018, officials say.Road crashes have claimed at least 2,345 people have died so far this year compared to 2, 165 during the same period last year.
compared to the same period last year.
Traffic boss Samwel Kimaru said the number of reported road accidents in the country rose sharply this year.
“As of today, there are 1,948 accidents reported in the country as compared to 1,776 reported in the same period last year,” said Mr Kimaru.
Mr Kimaru was speaking on Tuesday after a day-long training of boda boda riders in Bomet town on road safety and traffic rules.
“The number of pedestrians involved in road accident in the country as of today is 530, boda boda passengers is 189, bicycles 42 while motor cycles stands at 438,” said Mr Kimaru.
Mr Kimaru indicated that it was not all gloom with the accidents as there was a decline in cases of serious accidents reported so far.
“Last year, 1,264 serious accidents were reported as compared to 1,493 similar incidents reported in the country on the same date this year,” said Mr Kimaru.
On a similar note, the number of passengers involved in road accidents has reduced by five per cent in the same period as compared to the previous year as per the statistics from the traffic department.
In 2013, the government restricted night travels by bus companies following high rate of fatal accidents in the country, measures of which resulted in a reduction of the accidents.The police department, he said was keen on reducing road carnage in the country caused by overloading and careless driving with majority of the incidences involving boda boda riders.
Traffic deaths on the increase, officials say https://t.co/SIsC9hyWL4 pic.twitter.com/evto3YCGq6
— Nation Counties (@NationCounty) October 9, 2018
“Boda boda riders must have licences, wear helmets along with their passengers, have insurance for their motor cycles and must strictly adhere to road safety rules in the country,” said Mr Kimaru.
Boda boda riders must have licences, wear helmets along with their passengers, have insurance for their motor cycles and must strictly adhere to road safety rules in the country,” said Mr Kimaru.
He said overloading, failure to observe traffic rules was the main cause of the accidents involving motor cycles.
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Mr Kimaru said a crack-down on saloon cars especially Toyota Probox and Sienta which had been converted into matatus would continue across the country with a view to restoring order on roads.
“Traffic officers are advised to strictly enforce road safety rules in order to reduce road carnage as we prepare for end year festivities,” said Mr Kimaru.
https://twitter.com/KTNNews/status/1049886286151110656
The police department, he said was keen on reducing road carnage in the country caused by overloading and careless driving with majority of the incidences involving boda boda rider.