25 killed in 16 road crashes, NTSA says

A total of 25 lives were lost in 16 road accidents across the country on Tuesday, December 23, the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has announced.

In a statement, NTSA said most of the victims were pedestrians (eight), passengers (eight) followed by motorcyclists (five), pillion passengers ( three), and one driver.

“We extend our deepest condolences to the bereaved families and wish a speedy recovery to those injured,” the agency said.

NTSA said the accidents were reported in Kakamega, Bungoma, Nakuru, Nyeri, Siaya, Kiambu, Nairobi, Machakos, Narok, Kisii, Turkana, and Uasin Gishu counties.

“Over the past four days, multi-agency compliance checks have identified 1,702 violations involving commercial, public service, and private vehicles,” it added.

“As the nation celebrates the festive season, we reaffirm that road safety remains our top priority.”

To enhance safety, NTSA has deployed all available resources and intensified enforcement measures. Over the past four days, multi-agency compliance checks have identified 1,702 traffic violations involving commercial, public service, and private vehicles.

The primary violations included malfunctioning or absent speed limiters, drunken driving, operating unroadworthy vehicles, overloading, contravening insurance and vehicle tax requirements, and operating without a Road Service Licence (RSL).

Additionally, 42 drivers have been arrested, and 418 vehicles have been flagged as non-compliant.

With more than 3,000 fatalities already recorded this year, NTSA and the National Police Service have activated joint operations to stem the loss of lives on Kenyan roads.

The two agencies launched a two-month 2025 Festive Season National Road Safety Awareness Campaign, themed “Road Safety and Precaution During the Festive Season in Kenya.”

The campaign is aimed at combining data-driven enforcement with public sensitisation to prevent what has, in recent years, become an annual surge in deadly accidents.

NTSA data shows the gravity of the situation. Between January 1 and October 22, 2025, a total of 3,890 people died in road crashes, surpassing the 3,805 fatalities recorded during the same period in 2024.

The agency is intensifying preventative measures anchored on the Safe System Approach—an internationally recognised framework that focuses on designing a transport system resilient enough to reduce the chance of human error resulting in death.

NTSA is working closely with the police in running targeted, multi-agency operations that prioritise prevention over reaction.

The agency is also localising road safety awareness drives and expanding the Usalama Barabarani programme, focusing on seat belt compliance, speed control and fatigue management.

The holiday period sees a surge in passenger numbers, prompting operators to increase the number of trips and maximise profits.

This leads to fierce competition on highways, where speed often becomes the determining factor in attracting passengers or meeting operational targets.

As a result, overloading becomes rampant. Some vehicles pick up excess passengers or luggage, compromising their stability, braking capacity and overall safety.