It’s time for a Transformative Road Safety Agenda.

By George M Song’e

The prevalence of vehicles in our daily lives has surged dramatically; however, a troubling number of individuals operate them recklessly, resulting in preventable traffic accidents. These accidents often lead to devastating consequences, including loss of life and serious injuries, leaving deep emotional scars on families and entire communities.

In Kenya, the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) holds the crucial responsibility of ensuring our roads are safe and navigable. One of the Authority’s primary mandates is to provide safe, reliable, and efficient road transport services. Recently, NTSA announced plans to implement a series of new regulations aimed at enhancing the safety standards for school transport. These proposed regulations include the mandatory employment of attendants on school buses and the introduction of crossing guards, along with suggestions for additional safety features designed to protect students during their daily commutes.

However, significant barriers to improved road safety persist, stemming largely from our cultural approach to the issue. As a society, we often disregard the behavioral factors influencing road safety, which seriously undermines our efforts to create a safer environment.

A striking example of this indifference is the subdued observance of Remembrance Day for Road Traffic Victims. Last year, this important day was commemorated on November 17th, but it served as a sobering reminder of the lackluster commitment to road safety in Kenya. Nationwide activities were minimal and failed to capture the urgent importance of treating road safety as a critical component of Kenya’s socioeconomic framework.

Reflecting on the past, we remember the late John Michuki, a no-nonsense Minister for Transport, whose initiative two decades ago fundamentally transformed public transport operations through the introduction of Legal Notice 161. This set of reforms, commonly referred to as the Michuki Rules, marked a pivotal moment in our road safety efforts.

These rules were designed to restore discipline, enforce compliance, and elevate safety standards within the transport sector. While they laid a vital foundation for a more organized public transport system, many of the hard-won gains have since eroded. Today, issues such as speeding, overloading, and widespread neglect of seatbelt use have become alarmingly common. According to the WHO’s Global Status Report on Road Safety 2023, only 44% of road users in Kenya wear seatbelts, a statistic that illustrates our ongoing challenges.

Although the Michuki Rules initially aligned government policy with industry practices, we now find ourselves facing many of the same issues once again. It has become increasingly common to witness boda boda riders using pedestrian footbridges as shortcuts, hawkers cluttering these footbridges with makeshift markets, and pedestrians carelessly jaywalking across busy highways, often right next to designated footbridges. Alarmingly, motorcycle riders, their passengers, and pedestrians account for more than 50% of road traffic fatalities on our highways. These vulnerable road users urgently require protection and ongoing education about road safety practices. Unfortunately, such reckless behavior frequently occurs in plain sight of the authorities, highlighting the inadequacy of enforcement measures alone.

It is essential for the public to actively participate in the broader road safety initiative. Emphasis should be placed on integrating road safety education into school curricula, and initiatives like the Nairobi Traffic Safety Park should receive greater recognition and support. The establishment of additional safety parks across the nation would provide valuable opportunities for Kenyans to engage with and refresh their understanding of traffic rules. Road safety should be elevated in importance, similar to safety at work and home.

Moreover, we must draw attention to the profound economic and personal impacts of road accidents on Kenyans. Road safety should not be reduced to mere slogans or one-off events; it needs to be woven into the very fabric of our national socioeconomic agenda. The issue cannot be viewed in isolation. Solutions must encompass health systems, city planning, infrastructure maintenance, and governance, all working together. Our roads must be well-maintained and safe, and all users must adhere to safety protocols.

Many of our roads remain poorly marked and are used recklessly, with little regard for user safety. For instance, years after the construction of the Nairobi Expressway, the lower-deck road lies in disrepair, posing significant safety risks for unsuspecting users. Authorities must address these pressing concernscomprehensively and swiftly. A collaborative, multi-sectoral approach is essential to significantly reduce fatalities and injuries on our roads. Ultimately, road safety should be a central focus of our lives and a significant political priority for our nation.