Motorists unmoved by road accidents

A bus that was involved in a road accident at Kanginga, a kilometre from Mwingi town, on January 2, 2018. More than 20 people were injured. Despite the high number of road accidents, motorists are still flouting traffic rules. PHOTO | BONIFACE MWANIKI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • A spot check by the Nation Tuesday revealed speeding and careless overtaking on the killer stretch, perhaps a signal that the accidents are not about to end.

  • A matatu heading to western Kenya drove on the wrong side of the road some 50m away from where the police had mounted a road block.

  • Salgaa trading centre is another disaster in waiting.

  • The Nation team witnessed careless overtaking along the continuous yellow line.

Two days after at least 36 people were killed in a grisly road accident in Migaa on the Nakuru-Eldoret highway on New Year’s Eve, reckless driving was the order of the day along the busy highway.

A spot check by the Nation Tuesday revealed speeding and careless overtaking on the killer stretch, perhaps a signal that the accidents are not about to end.

And as the year gathers momentum, the stretch has started in earnest to solidify its dubious killer tag as barely 72 hours into the year, it has already claimed three lives.

And if the recklessness witnessed is anything to go by, the newest death statistics on this stretch might continue rising steadily this year.

Not even a police road block opposite Nakuru Teachers Training College and a National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) check – near the mass grave holding the 78 victims of an oil tanker fire tragedy in the area — tempered the drivers’ recklessness.

TRAFFIC RULES

The Nation team started its traffic rules violation check list on this dangerous stretch at Sobea trading centre, where six family members were killed when a matatu they were travelling in was hit by a trailer on April 21, last year.

Before the Sobea black spot, there is a clear sign indicating a 50km/h speed limit.

Our driver, Mr George Kieru, did not exceed the speed limit of 50km/h. Shockingly, we counted more than 10 public and a dozen private vehicles, including trucks, completely disregarding the speed limit. Motorists are supposed to exceed that speed limit after passing the four-kilometre stretch.

A matatu heading to western Kenya drove on the wrong side of the road some 50m away from where the police had mounted a road block.

This is where 12 people died on November 18 last year in a crash that involved a Great Rift Shuttle and a trailer.

METAL SPIKES

Interestingly, the driver was not stopped and as he meandered around the metal spikes, a police officer only pointed at him and let him go. However, we managed to overtake the speeding matatu and reported the matter to NTSA officials at Sachang’wan, who  impounded the vehicle.

Unaware, that we were recording him, the driver denied the offence. But upon being shown a clip of him driving carelessly, he was tongue tied. “Makosa hutokea (mistakes happen),” he said, as NTSA officials confiscated his driving licence.

As the agency’s officials interrogated him, it emerged that the driver had no valid NTSA badge as required by the traffic regulations. He claimed it was confiscated by NTSA officials in Gilgil after he committed another traffic offence and he was yet to get it back.

Salgaa trading centre is another disaster in waiting.

DANGEROUSLY PARKED

Trailers were dangerously parked on both sides of the highway, leaving little space for pedestrians and motorists.

But, it is opposite the General Service Unit Jolly Farm Camp Unit, overlooking the beautiful scenery, that we saw motorists throw caution to the wind.

It is at this spot that a lorry veered off the road and killed two pedestrians on January 1. The Nation team witnessed careless overtaking along the continuous yellow line.

Some of the motorists overtaking carelessly would regret their actions if they watched our recordings.

It was a scary moment as motorists avoided a near head-on collision as they sped on the continuous yellow line.

An NTSA official said the motorists only complied when they saw them.

“From 1am to 3am you would think there is a motor rally as trucks and public service vehicles speed,” said an NTSA official who requested anonymity as he is not allowed to speak to journalists.