• NTSA has been running initiatives to enhance road safety.
• Director says 90 per cent of accidents are caused by human error.
Over 60 per cent of victims of road accidents are youths, according to statistics from the National Transport and Safety Authority.
The figures show young and productive people in the age bracket of 16-37 years have been the most affected.
The authority held a meeting with youths as part of celebrations to mark the end of the United Nations Global Road Safety Week at Kayole in Naivasha between May 6 and 12.
Addressing the gathering, a director with NTSA Catherine Waweru said accidents continue to rise despite the various initiatives made by the government.
Waweru said although the government continued to invest heavily on construction of roads, there was a need for behavioural change amongst Kenyans as a way of reducing accidents.
She said NTSA had made changes that will ensure Kenyans are safe on roads.
Key among them, Waweru said, is a mobile application where Kenyans across the country would report rogue drivers anytime.
“Ending road crashes is the responsibility of all Kenyans and we cannot leave that to the police alone; that is why we have developed this application since officers cannot be everywhere all the time,” she said.
Waweru urged Kenyans to make use of the new technology and help in providing the authority with information. She said the information would be treated with confidentiality.
The director said NTSA is carrying out routine education forums with boda boda operators who form the largest percentage of accidents on highways.
She said 90 per cent of accidents are caused by human error and advocated for behavioural change.
“We need to follow some simple basics like belting up, wearing helmets, observing traffic rules and we can save generations from being wiped out through accidents,” she said.
NTSA director for road safety Christine Ogutu called for collaboration among agencies involved in road safety to deal with road accidents.
Ogutu said with the increasing population and the desire of youths to buy cars, there was a need for all to come together and devise ways in which the numbers could be reduced.
(Edited by R.Wamochie)