Road crashes kill 3000 Kenyans yearly

WHO global status report on road safety says accidents can be attributed to reckless driving and failure to adhere to traffic rules and regulations.

More than 3000 Kenyans die from road crashes annually, a report by the World Health Organisation released on Thursday reveals.

Many others end up with long term complications that result in disability according to the report dubbed, "Global Status Report on Road Safety"

This is the first broad assessment that describes the road safety situation in 178 countries.

"The social and economic impact of these crashes is great, more than 90 per cent of the victims are above 16 years.

"These are the bread winners of most families who are left devastated following occurrence of these road crash injuries," the report further states.

Pedestrians and passengers in public service vehicles are mostly affected and the accidents can be attributed to reckless driving and failure to adhere to traffic rules and regulations.

The report noted that in 2004, "The ministry of Transport in Kenya enforced very strict traffic rules, dubbed “Michuki Rules” named after the then Minister for Transport. This resulted in a 30 per cent drop in the number of crashes including fatalities. However one year later, the rules were flouted following the change of the Minister with resultant upsurge in road carnage."
Meanwhile, 1.3 million lives are lost around the world from accidents.

Road accidents have been identified as the top three three leading causes of death for people aged between 5 and 44 years.
It has also caused 50 million non-fatal injuries annually.

The report further states that lessons are not learnt: "We are not applying the knowledge gained through the experience of the last few decades. Evidence shows clearly that developing and enforcing road safety laws are critical to reducing drink–driving and excessive speed, and to increasing the use of helmets, seat-belts and child restraints."

Similarly, although most countries have a seat-belt law, only 57 per cent of countries apply this law to both front-seat and rear-seat occupants.

Governments need to enact comprehensive laws that protect all road users, ensuring that these incomplete laws are amended to conform with good practices that are based on sound evidence of effectiveness, the report says

The report shows that no country can afford to sit back and assume that its road safety work is complete. "Even among high-income countries where road traffic fatality rates are low, road traffic crashes remain an important cause of death, and much more can be done."