The country has recorded an increase in road accidents with fatalities rising by more than 10.5 per cent, Government spokesperson Cyrus Oguna has said.
He observed that 2,272 road accident fatalities have been reported between January and June this year compared to 2,057 over the same period last year.
Speaking in Nakuru during an impromptu inspection of Public Service Vehicles along the Nakuru-Nairobi Highway, Oguna noted that private vehicles contributed highest in the fatal accidents with 253 cases.
He said most of the accidents were caused by human errors due to indiscipline on the road with only a few being mechanical.
“Flouting of traffic rules, ignoring safety measures, reckless and drunk driving are the major causes of accidents and it is unfortunate that the country is losing many lives while some survivors are maimed for life due to something that is avoidable,” he said.
He added that there were several deaths that have occurred in convoys belonging to politicians and their teams as they traverse the country in search of votes and urged them to observe traffic rules.
Oguna said the government would crack down on private saloon cars famously referred to as Usiku Sacco of Bubu taxis that operate as Public Transport Vehicles at night in Nairobi
He said the owners were operating illegally and warned commuters against using them because besides exposing themselves to accidents, using the unlicensed vehicles was also compromising their security as the drivers use illegal routes to evade police.
Oguna urged passengers to always speak out whenever they noticed the driver was flouting traffic rules and endangering their lives.
Rift Valley regional traffic enforcement officer Dorothy Mboya warned politicians against carrying excess passengers on their campaign trails.
She added that some politicians even conceal the number plates of their vehicles to evade identification once something wrong involving them happens.
