Survivors of the Migaa grisly accident that claimed six lives on Saturday, June 24, recounted the driver’s last attempt to save passengers from the matatu crash.
According to three passengers who survived with injuries, the 14-seater matatu, which was headed to Nairobi, lost its breaks along the Nakuru-Eldoret highway.
One of the survivors recounted that the driver tried to control the vehicle without alarming the passengers after the brakes failed.
“I did not know that the vehicle had lost its brakes but we were alarmed as passengers because the driver was not slowing down at speed bumps,” the survivor who sustained a head injury recalled.
Another survivor aged 23 years explained that they confronted the driver after it became apparent that there was a mishap.
“It was at that time that he told us that the vehicle had lost its brakes,” the patient, who is recovering from head injuries, revealed.
Another recovering patient who sustained minor injuries explained that they advised the driver to blare the horn and flash his lights to warn oncoming traffic.
Sadly, despite the driver trying his best to send a distress call, oncoming vehicles did not give way leading to a fatal accident.
The driver and two passengers died on the spot after the matatu collided head-on with a lorry.
The survivors were rushed to Nakuru Level Five Hospital but sadly, three other passengers died while receiving treatment.
NTSA Statistics
From January to May 2023, National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) estimated that 1,679 Kenyans have lost their lives due to road accidents.
To curb the rising numbers, NTSA introduced a road safety compliance audit in June 2023 to make sure motorists were aware of road safety measures.
Matatu owners decried the crackdown arguing that it was being used as an extortion exercise and on Sunday, June 25, Mt Kenya Matatu Owners Association stated that they had agreed with NTSA and National Police Service on how the exam should be conducted without harassing drivers.
