Stop slaughter on the roads

As happens every year in the run-up to the festive season, there have been a number of nasty fatal accidents already. The worst of them involved a matatu and a truck in western Kenya, in which 14 passengers perished. Another really bad one occurred on the Nairobi-Mombasa highway, claiming eight lives. As a result, families that should be making merry are grieving.

According to the National Transport and Safety Authority, 2,945 people had been killed on the roads by December 12. At this rate, this year could set a record, surpassing the annual average of 3,000 deaths. Many will throw caution to the wind during this holiday and many more casualties will occur.

The reports on the fatal accidents indicate that human error has played a major part in them. People are rushing as if it’s the end of the world. Of course, matatu and bus operators want to make more trips and rake in more money. But private motorists are also speeding, putting their lives and those of their passengers in grave danger. The most logical thing to do would be to start the journey earlier but, it seems, this is wishful thinking.

The NTSA and traffic police are doing their best. They have been warning drivers to obey traffic rules and regulations to avoid accidents but the message falls on deaf ears.

Police have, for the first time, been mounting roadblocks and administering Alcoblow tests during the day to prevent drink-driving accidents. That is commendable.

However, there are not enough NTSA officials and traffic police officers to cover every stretch of road. The motorists and their passengers must play a vital role in enhancing their own safety during the holidays. Travellers must not allow reckless or drunken drivers to slaughter them. They must stop them by speaking out.