Motor units registry up 15pc as pedestrian, cyclist deaths surge

Kenya registered a 15.1% increase in the newly registered motor vehicles and motorcycles units last year as deaths among pedestrians and motorcyclists rose significantly.

In 2021, the number of newly registered units increased by 52, 323 to reach 399,052 when compared to 2020 when new registration plummeted due to COVID-19 related challenges.

Economic Survey 2022 data by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) indicate that the number of newly registered motor vehicles rose 14.2% from 94,128 units in 2020 to 107,499 units in 2021.

“Station wagons accounted for the bulk of newly registered vehicles and rose from 57,962 registered units in 2020 to 64,350 units in 2021,” said KNBS.

Saloon car registration went up 5.4%, lorries and trucks 9.2%, trailers 33.8% and wheeled tractors 10.7%.

However new registration of minibuses and matatus declined from 1,084 units in 2020 to 822 units in 202.

The motor and auto cycle industry which continues to play a big role in Kenya’s transport sector also registered an increase in new registration which rose by 15.6% from 246,705 units in 2020 to 285,203 units last year. Newly registered three-wheelers also known as tuk tuk also increased by 7.7% to 6,350 units in the review period.

Accidents

However while concerted efforts are being made to reduce the number of road accident casualties, Kenyan roads proved unsafe for pedestrians and cyclists as deaths increased by 21.5% last year.

Road accident casualties from 16,970 in 2020 to 20,625 in 2021 while the number of reported road users killed went up by 15.2 per cent from 3,975 to 4,579 last year.

The seriously injured persons in reported road accidents rose by 25.2% to 10,050 in 2021 from 8,026 in 2020, while those slightly injured rose by 20.7% to 5,996 in 2021.

“The increased cases of road accidents were attributed to speeding, over-loading, improper overtaking and driving under the influence of alcohol,” said KNBS.

Pedestrian casualties rose by 15.2% from 3,186 in 2020 to 3,670 last year while the number of motorcycle rider casualties rose by 13.6% cent to 4,336 from 3,818 in 2020.

“The number of pedal cyclist casualties from the reported road accidents remained the same during the period under review. Pedestrians and motorcyclists had the highest proportion of those killed while passengers and motorcyclists had the highest proportion of those seriously injured.”

The number of driver casualties in reported road accidents rose by 20.1% to 2,105 while the number of passenger casualties increased by 33.8% to 7,587 in 2021.

The number of pillion passenger casualties in the reported road accidents went up by 16.5% from 2,332 in 2020 to 2,716 in 2021.