World Bank transport specialists led by Economist Sveta Milusheva on Wednesday held talks with Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome over data collection on Kenyan roads.
The discussion held on Wednesday, September 13, revolved around modalities on collecting data on traffic accidents in Kenya to improve road safety.
According to the National Police Service, the data will be used by both World Bank and Kenyan government to develop policies which are geared towards finding long-standing solutions to the crisis.
"Their discussion focused on modalities of collecting data on traffic accidents (crush) to improve road safety in Kenya," a statement published by the National Police Service read in parts.
The team of World Bank transport specialists got briefs from Dr Duncan Kibogong from the National Transport Safety Authority (NTSA), who explained the existing data collection systems.
The experts, IG Koome and the NTSA boss agreed on the need to develop more robust accident data collection systems that will provide solution, almost in real-time.
"IG Koome reiterated the commitment of NPS to continue collaborating with the World Bank and NTSA to improve service delivery to the public," the statement read in parts.
The data that will be collected will be used to identify the root causes of accidents, track trends, and develop preventive measures.
Experts will be able to identify the factors that contribute to accidents, such as human error, equipment failure, or environmental conditions. This information can then be used to develop targeted interventions to prevent future accidents.
World Bank transport specialists also noted that the data will be used to track trends in accidents over time. This information will be used to identify areas where there is a need for improvement.
The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) on June 29, released the 2023 road safety report.
The report shows that there has been a decrease in the number of road accidents and fatalities in the first half of 2023 compared to the same period in 2022.
From January to June 2023, there were 2,124 road accidents in Kenya, resulting in 2,889 injuries and 2,124 deaths. This is a decrease of 137 road accidents, 260 injuries, and 137 deaths compared to the same period in 2022.
The report also shows that pedestrians were the most affected road users, accounting for 729 fatalities, followed by motorcyclists (561) and passengers (403). Drivers accounted for 189 fatalities.
The main causes of road accidents in Kenya are speeding, drunk driving, reckless driving, and ignoring traffic rules.
The NTSA has called on motorists to be more careful on the road and obey traffic rules to reduce the number of road accidents.
