The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has issued urgent road safety guidelines after at least 20 people lost their lives in separate accidents during the Easter holiday.
According to police reports, most of the fatalities took place on Friday evening and early Saturday morning following the start of long weekend holidays by many Kenyans.
One of the major accidents involved the deaths of 11 people in an accident in Gilgil along the Nairobi-Nakuru Highway where a speeding matatu hit a stalled trailer.
According to Gilgil police chief Winston Mwakio, the matatu did not brake in time to avoid hitting the trailer which had broken down and stopped by the side of the road.
In reaction to the incidents, NTSA issued an unprecedented stern warning to motorists to be responsible and avoid unnecessary risks on the roads.
Motorists have been urged to clear the roads of broken down vehicles by the side and ensure they put up warning signs to caution other motorists.
Additionally, drivers have been warned about speeding, drunken driving, and fatigue which are still regarded as the major causes of accidents.
According to NFTA DG Nashon Kondiwa, traffic police have already been assigned at major roads in the effort to curb the menace of reckless driving.
“Speed guns and breathalyzer tests will be conducted in various regions of the country as part of the ongoing Easter crackdown,” he said.
Gilgil, the location of the current crash, is known to experience such accidents in the past.
