The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has warned parents who give vehicles and motorbikes to underaged children.
Speaking during the launch of Usalama Barabarani programme in Kakamega, NTSA Chairperson Agnes Odhiambo stated that a surge of accidents had been witnessed.
She noted that the accidents could be attributed to unlicenced motorists and children who did not understand traffic rules and regulations.
Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya reiterated her sentiments saying that the youth were compelling their parents to sell their assets and buy them motorcycles.
“That’s why here in our county general hospital, we have a whole ward dedicated to boda boda accident victims. There is no time the ward is empty,” Oparanya stated.
The governor noted that there needed to be proper policies to help reduce motorcycle-related deaths.
"NTSA should make sure that all the boda boda operators have licenses and have gone through proper training," he said.
Ms Odhiambo indicated that the country loses approximately 3,000 lives to road accidents annually.
“Out of the 3,000 lives we lose, 1,575 lives are lost through boda boda accidents, which is about 40 per cent of the total lives lost," she stated.
She noted that the country losses approximately Ksh300 million to road accidents which translates to 5% of the Gross domestic product (GDP).
