7 Vehicles Collide Along Nairobi – Mombasa Highway

One person died while several passengers travelling in different vehicles sustained injuries on Saturday in a road accident at Machakos Junction along the Nairobi-Mombasa highway. 

The incident involved two trailers, two trucks, and three personal vehicles. The orderly flow of traffic quickly turned into chaos as vehicles following closely behind piled up in the aftermath of the collision.

A police officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, revealed to Kenyans.co.ke that a trailer heading towards Mombasa collided with an oncoming vehicle, causing a spill-over effect onto the road. 

The police officer stated that the two trailer drivers, who suffered severe injuries, were promptly transported to Machakos Level 5 Hospital, while the deceased’s body was transported to Montezuma Monalisa Funeral Home.

This led to a trail of wreckage, leaving the vehicles in a severely damaged state. 

The accident resulted into a traffic snarl up, prompting traffic officers to divert cars from the highway. 

An eye-witness reported that the traffic extended along the dual carriageway. 

Per the witness’ account, an elderly woman found herself trapped inside one of the trucks after the front part of the vehicle got damaged during the accident. 

The accident highlights the concerning rise in the frequency of accidents on Kenyan roads.

According to the latest data published by the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), a total of 1,756 fatalities from road accidents were recorded between January 1, 2023 and May 2023.

This marked an increase from the previous year, when 1,679 fatalities were recorded during the same period. 

Among these casualties, pedestrians accounted for the highest number with 571 fatalities, followed by motorcycle operators with 449. 

In response to this alarming trend, NTSA has collaborated with various counties along major roads to conduct road safety campaigns aimed at reducing fatal accidents in the country.