According to a recently published paper from Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA), a total of 13 accidents involving distributions of petroleum and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) were reported during July to December last year, with a total loss of about Sh197 million.
From the research, a whopping 83 per cent of the accidents recorded were a result of human error, disclosing that safety is still a big issue in the transportation and handling of petroleum products in Kenya. During the reference period, the highest number of petroleum, related accidents was reported in Kakamega, Busia, Kisumu, and Nairobi counties.
The EPRA points out that accidents involving petroleum and LPG storage and transportation devices such as tankers and gas cylinders are still among the leading safety risks. The main reasons for these accidents include driver fatigue, poor safety practices, and non, compliance with regulatory requirements.
Besides, the statistics illustrate that 41 per cent of tanker accidents occurred because of no or ineffective transport safety management systems such as journey planning and GPS tracking. Of the rest, 39 per cent of the accidents were directly caused by human error.
Altogether, the 13 accidents that have been documented over the six months period to December 2025 have resulted in considerable losses through spillage, fires, and destruction of petroleum products. Though facility, related accidents constituted only 6. 78 percent of all the incidents reported, they caused 23. 53 percent of the fatalities, thus revealing their serious impact.
The report also unravels that nearly one-third of all the petroleum product road accidents happened along the Northern Corridor, which EPRA still largely ties the negative situation to the heavy traffic volumes and intense commercial activities along the route.
The authority has urged for the implementation of Transporter Safety Management Systems to be made compulsory, in addition to the improvement in driver behaviour that should include the strict observance of rest periods and safety protocols to cut down on the occurrence of accidents.
According to EPRA, a significant boost in compliance and enforcement would pave the way for safety within the petroleum and LPG supply chain, and at the same time, safeguarding lives, property, and the environment.
