Several people are feared dead while others are nursing injuries following a tragic road accident early Saturday morning, April 19, along Thika Road.
This was after a private car they were in rammed into a stalled trailer at Membley, Ruiru, near the Kenyatta University Referral Hospital.
The accident, which reportedly occurred around 2:30 a.m., is said to have been caused by the driver of the car overspeeding and having little time to react before crashing into the trailer.
Additionally, poor visibility due to non-functional street lights on the road and the alleged failure by the trailer driver to place a warning triangle reportedly contributed to the grisly crash that left the car in a mangled wreck.
Footage obtained by Kenyans.co.ke showed police officers and curious onlookers milling around the scene of the accident, with rescue efforts ongoing. An ambulance was also present at the scene.
The accident came at a time when most Kenyans are in a celebratory mood as they mark the Easter holidays. It further coincides with a period where road carnage in Kenya has been on a worrying upward trend over the past two months, with enforcement agencies scrambling to implement measures that could stem the tide of casualties and injuries.
Despite these efforts, the battle for safer roads continues to be undermined—not just by limited enforcement capacity but also by the widespread ignorance or outright disregard for traffic laws among some road users.
To that effect, the National Transport Safety Authority (NTSA) announced that they would enforce a crackdown on drivers breaching road safety regulations ahead of and during the Easter Celebration.
In a press briefing in Mombasa, the NTSA Chairman Khatib Mwashetani confirmed that the authority will deploy officers across different roads in the country from Wednesday to ensure that Kenyans abide by road safety regulations during the busy weekend.
During the crackdown, Khatib said that the NTSA officers will be keen to apprehend vehicles that have not installed speed governors and drunk drivers, among other offences. NTSA also issued six road safety directives ahead of the Easter celebrations, days after fatal crashes, urging all motorists to abide by the rules.
At the top of the list, drivers were urged to drive within the speed limit, followed by a plea to maintain sobriety, terming it "the silent hero of every safe trip home." Drivers were warned against drunk driving as a result.
Thirdly, vehicle owners were directed to remove stalled vehicles as soon as possible and to take precautionary measures like placing signs to warn oncoming traffic.
Drivers were also urged to take enough rest and plan in good time to rest well before they begin their journey to maintain alertness when on the road. They were also implored to ensure that their vehicle is serviced before taking to the road to ensure a smooth journey.
Lastly, NTSA directed motorists to report cases of reckless driving to the police through the 911 hotline. On Friday, NTSA issued an update on the crackdown, revealing that it had recorded 19 cases of traffic violations including drunk driving recorded along the Nairobi - Nakuru Highway on Thursday night.
