Rising road accidents claim over 5,000 lives in 2025

Pedestrians recorded the highest deaths, while motorcyclists remained the second most affected group.

Over 5,000 people lost their lives on Kenyan roads in 2025 following a rise in road accidents, according to new data contained in the 2026 Economic Survey.

The report shows that fatalities increased by 5.5 per cent compared to 2024, underlining the growing toll of road carnage despite ongoing road safety campaigns and enforcement measures.

Data compiled by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) indicates that the number of reported road accidents rose from 11,165 in 2024 to 11,638 in 2025.

The crashes resulted in a total of 24,905 injuries and deaths. The number of people killed increased from 4,748 in 2024 to 5,009 in 2025.

Even though the number of those seriously injured declined slightly from 11,936 in 2024 to 11,648 in 2025, the number of people who sustained slight injuries rose sharply by 9.1 per cent, from 7,561 to 8,248.

The survey attributes the majority of the accidents to human error and behaviour, reinforcing concerns over indiscipline among road users and the need for intensified sensitisation campaigns on road safety.

Among the leading causes cited were overloading, driver fatigue, drunk driving, failure to observe traffic rules, reckless driving and poor road infrastructure.

Passengers and motorcyclists recorded the highest number of casualties at 10,140 and 4,761, respectively.

However, pedestrians accounted for the highest number of fatalities at 1,889. Motorcyclists registered the second-highest number of deaths at 1,273, up from 1,166 fatalities recorded in 2024.

Although passenger fatalities dropped slightly from 874 in 2024 to 840 in 2025, passengers still recorded the third-highest number of deaths among all categories of road users.

The number of passengers who sustained serious injuries declined from 4,360 in 2024 to 3,983 in 2025.

However, those who suffered slight injuries increased from 4,733 to 5,317 over the same period. Driver casualties also rose from 2,245 in 2024 to 2,388 in 2025.

Fatalities among drivers increased from 404 to 463. The report further shows that 1,059 drivers sustained serious injuries, while 866 suffered slight injuries.

Pillion passengers accounted for a total of 3,056 casualties in 2025, resulting in 472 deaths, 1,737 serious injuries and 847 slight injuries.

This marked an increase from the 2024 figures, where 421 pillion passengers died, 1,719 sustained serious injuries, and 841 escaped with slight injuries.

Pedal cyclists recorded the lowest number of casualties at 197. Of these, 72 died, 98 sustained serious injuries, and 27 suffered slight injuries.

The figures represent a decline from 2024, when 82 pedal cyclists were killed, 113 seriously injured, and 32 escaped with slight injuries.

Data covering the five years between 2021 and 2025 points to a sustained rise in both the number of reported road accidents and casualties across the country.

According to the survey, Kenya recorded 10,210 road accidents in 2021, 9,976 in 2022, 9,990 in 2023, 11,165 in 2024 and 11,638 in 2025.

Over the same period, the number of casualties rose steadily from 20,625 in 2021 to 21,758 in 2022, 22,933 in 2023, 24,245 in 2024 and 24,905 in 2025.

Fatalities also followed a generally upward trend, rising from 4,579 in 2021 to 4,690 in 2022, before dipping slightly to 4,513 in 2023 and then climbing again to 4,748 in 2024 and 5,009 in 2025.

Pedestrians consistently accounted for the highest number of deaths throughout the five years.

Fatalities among this group of road users stood at 1,558 in 2021, 1,682 in 2022, 1,643 in 2023, 1,801 in 2024 and 1,889 in 2025.

Motorcyclists recorded the second-highest fatalities across the same period, with deaths standing at 1,270 in 2021, 1,255 in 2022, 1,170 in 2023, 1,166 in 2024 and 1,273 in 2025.

The latest figures underscore the heavy social and emotional burden road carnage continues to place on Kenyan families.

Research cited in various reports indicates that 89 per cent of bereaved families experience significant mental health challenges, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression and anxiety, while 24 per cent suffer family breakdowns.

This crisis cripples families through immediate medical expenses, loss of sole breadwinners, funeral costs and long-term care for disabled victims.

Official statistics show that overall, road carnage in Kenya causes a staggering financial strain estimated at Sh450 billion to over Sh800 billion annually, equating to roughly 3–5 per cent of the country's GDP.

The figure includes medical care, property damage and lost productivity as many households lose their primary source of income, marking a significant increase in economic burden on families.