A family is in mourning after losing a loved one following an accident that took place at Ngata Baraka Area along the Nakuru - Eldoret Highway on the night of Sunday, July 9.
The grisly accident occurred at around 11 pm when an overspeeding truck collided with a matatu that was ferrying passengers during the night travel.
Nakuru Police officers informed the media that the truck, which was transporting sacks of maize to various parts of the region, appeared to have lost control, as per their preliminary assessment.
Nakuru West Sub County Police Commander Francis Wahome stated that the truck seemed to have had mechanical challenges with its brakes before it crashed into the matatu.
Wahome further noted that the truck collided with a sturdy steel bridge at Ngata crossline, leading to the unfortunate puncture of its fuel tank and an immediate ignition of fire upon impact.
“The other vehicle had six occupants, who complained of minor injuries," Wahome told the Journalists who visited the scene.
Police accounts were reinforced by eyewitnesses who stated that the truck exploded into flames immediately after colliding with the truck, killing a 9-year-child on the spot and injuring eight other passengers.
According to the police, the injured passengers were promptly evacuated from the scene and swiftly placed into ambulances.
They were then provided with immediate First Aid assistance before being swiftly transported to nearby hospitals for further medical attention.
It was also reported that the truck had a Sudanese registration number, suggesting that it had been traveling for a long distance before it crashed into the matatu.
However, Wahome noted that they were still investigating the matter to establish the exact cause of the accident, and press charges where necessary.
The Sub-County Police Commander cautioned motorists to be careful while driving on the road, noting that long-distance drivers should also service their vehicles from time to time so as to avoid unnecessary accidents.
National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) on Thursday, June 29, released a report on road accidents in the country from January to June 2023. The report shows that there were a total of 2,124 road deaths during this period, a decrease of 137 from the same period in 2022.
The report also breaks down the fatalities by type of road user. Pedestrians were the most affected, with 729 deaths, followed by motorcyclists (561), passengers (403), pillion passengers (196), drivers (189), and pedal cyclists (46).
The report also shows that the most common causes of road accidents were speeding (32 per cent), drunk driving (23 per cent), and reckless driving (18 per cent). Other factors included disregarding traffic rules, using mobile phones while driving, and overloading vehicles.
NTSA urged motorists to exercise caution on the roads and to obey traffic rules. The Authority has also said that it will continue to enforce traffic laws and to crack down on drunk driving.
