At least one person died on Tuesday after an accident involving two vehicles occurred in the Pinyinyi area along the busy Narok-Mai Mahiu Highway in Narok County.
A police officer told the press that the accident which occurred minutes before midnight, involved a truck that reportedly lost control before ramming into a 14-seater public service vehicle (PSV) from the rear.
A one-year-old child was the only casualty reported and all the other 14 passengers sustained injuries. They were rushed to Narok County Referral Hospital for specialised treatment.
The baby was reportedly badly injured and succumbed before arriving at the hospital. The tragic crash occurred at around 11:30 pm.
A traffic police officer who confirmed the accident stated that the matatu was headed towards Mai Mahiu while ascending a hill before a truck rammed into it from the rear.
The matatu, which was ferrying 15 passengers (including a one-year-old), veered off to the left side of the road and rolled several times as a result of the force after hitting the matatu.
The child’s body was taken to the same Narok County Referral Hospital’s mortuary for postmortem examinations.
Following the incident, both vehicles were towed to the Ntulule traffic base with the officers launching a probe into the deadly road crash.
According to the National Transport and Safety Authority Act (NTSA), over two thousand people lost their lives on Kenyan roads in just six months this year, from January to July 7, 2024.
Since the beginning of 2024, 7,198 Kenyans have been involved in road accidents, marking an increase of 1,908 compared to the previous year. Among those affected, 3,316 sustained serious injuries, while 2,693 suffered minor injuries.
Similarly, over 10,166 other people including motorists and pedestrians nursed injuries from an estimated 11,502 crashes.
NTSA estimates that 3,000 people die in road accidents every year, with many of the accidents occurring on weekends, during festivities, and public holidays.
The hours between 5 pm and 8 am are considered the peak time for accidents, with drink-driving and carelessness cited as some of the main causes of the carnage.
