By Ronald Ndegwa and Sanga Burua
We ended 2025 with 3.4% more road accident fatalities than in 2024, and this has a heavy toll on economic and social development.
Unfortunately, we have started the year 2026 on a worse trajectory with several innocent lives consigned to early graves. This is unacceptable!
Human-related factors are the overwhelming cause of fatal road accidents in our country, accounting for over 85% of traffic crashes.
Speeding and Reckless Driving are the most significant causes, characterised by excessive speed, dangerous overtaking, lane indiscipline, and aggressive behaviour.
A high number of fatalities also involves pedestrians crossing roads carelessly and motorcyclists (boda-boda) violating traffic laws, such as driving in the wrong direction or not wearing helmets.
Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs significantly impairs judgment. Fatigue from long working hours is also a significant factor. Many accidents are attributable to fatigue and driving under the influence of alcohol. The use of mobile phones while driving or walking is a growing risk.
A general prevailing attitude holds that traffic laws need not be obeyed unless a traffic police officer is physically present. Solutions must target changing these specific human behaviours through a mix of strict enforcement, systemic accountability, and continuous awareness campaigns.
Based on our professional assessment, we propose a few immediate Interventions that will be anchored mainly on enforcing existing regulations and changing attitudes.
First, let’s allow the authorities to enforce the ‘Michuki Rules’ strictly. The success of the 2004 ‘Michuki rules’ in achieving high compliance—such as effective speed governors, seatbelts, and strict passenger limits—demonstrates that focused enforcement works when there is the political will to maintain it. Immediate action must be taken to reinstate these rules and address the widespread impunity.
Secondly, let’s sustain zero tolerance for key violations. Enforcement by the NPS and NTSA must focus specifically on major contributors to fatalities: speeding, drunk driving, cutting yellow lines, overloading, and mobile phone use. Arresting and charging offenders acts as a strong deterrent.
Thirdly, promote a public anonymous reporting mechanism for all, including government vehicles. Empowering passengers and other road users with a police hotline on social media or an SMS system to report dangerous driving behaviour in real-time holds drivers accountable and gives passengers a voice.
Lastly, regulating the Boda-Boda Sector. Strict enforcement is needed to ensure motorcyclists and passengers use certified, fastened helmets and obey traffic laws, including lane discipline. If this sector remains unaddressed, chaos on our roads will never end. We cannot afford to continue having “boda-boda wards” in our already strained medical facilities.
Beyond the immediate interventions, we also recommend mid- to long-term interventions that factor in systemic change and technology solutions.
First, through automated speed enforcement. As we will never have enough traffic police officers to monitor every road stretch, technology must replace human speed monitoring. The design of Major highways should incorporate digital speed cameras and instant mobile ticketing for speeding drivers. This ensures consistent enforcement and reduces opportunities for bribery.
Secondly, focus on Licensing and driver training. The licensing process needs to prevent the “procuring” of licences without proper training. The NTSA should enhance its retraining programs for existing specific categories of drivers, especially PSV operators, to ensure compliance with current safety standards and regulations. Any driver who causes and survives a fatal accident should go through fresh training and recertification.
Third, industry accountability. PSV owners must establish comprehensive fleet safety management systems and utilise technologies such as On-Board Computers to monitor driver behaviour in real time.
Ongoing nationwide awareness campaigns by NTSA concentrating on the risks linked to particular human behaviours are essential in nurturing a sustainable safety culture.
The time is also ripe to operationalise a Multi-Agency governance framework to improve coordination among different Road Transport Safety partners and actors. Collate and widely share data on fatal accidents to inform evidence-based decisions, effective interventions, and share root causes to shift public attitude towards road transport safety.
By focusing on human factors and leveraging technology to ensure consistent enforcement, we can drastically reduce our road fatalities. ALL ROAD ACCIDENTS ARE AVOIDABLE.
Mr Ronald Ndegwa is a Civil Engineer and a Road Transport Safety (RTS) Practitioner. Mr Sanga Burua is an RTS Professional. ronald.ndegwa@gmail.com