Businesses Face Mounting Pressure to Prevent Road Crashes Africa

Public and private sector organizations have been urged to step up investment in road safety awareness and practical interventions to reduce crashes, as concerns grow over the loss of lives and the economic burden of unsafe roads in Kenya.

Speaking during the Road Safety Excellence Awards in Nairobi, Francis Theuri, AA Kenya Group Managing Director, said that addressing road crashes requires sustained commitment from businesses, government agencies and other stakeholders, rather than relying on individual road users alone.

He emphasized the need to promote responsible road use and invest in interventions that can reduce crashes and protect lives.

The call comes as the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) challenges employers to make road safety part of their daily operations, including driver training, vehicle maintenance and journey planning.

Andrew Kiplagat, NTSA Director of Road Safety, said organisations must ensure that commercial targets and tight schedules do not encourage speeding, reckless driving or driver fatigue.

“Schedules, workloads and commercial pressures must never encourage speeding, reckless driving or driver fatigue,” Kiplagat said.

He urged employers to introduce workplace road safety policies, train staff who drive for work and ensure vehicles are regularly inspected and maintained.

Companies should also monitor crashes, near misses, kilometres driven and working days lost to road injuries to assess whether their safety measures are effective.

Kiplagat challenged driving schools to also go beyond preparing learners to pass driving tests, saying they should equip motorists with defensive driving skills and instill a sense of responsibility for protecting human life.

Public transport operators and fleet owners were also urged to ensure vehicles are roadworthy and drivers properly trained and supervised.

Speaking about the cost of these crashes, Dr Richard Lesiyampe, Chief Executive Officer of Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), said the facility alone receives 18,642 trauma patients annually, equivalent to about 51 patients daily, placing additional demands on hospital services.

“Traumatic brain injury is the most common reason for surgical admissions at Kenyatta National Hospital,” Lesiyampe said.

Some crash victims require intensive care and prolonged treatment, putting pressure on hospital beds and specialised services that are also needed by patients with other conditions, including cancer, diabetes and heart disease.

Lesiyampe said the effects of crashes can also persist after victims leave hospital, affecting their ability to return to work and resume their previous responsibilities.

“When your employee fills out a claim, your claims go up. When the claims go up, so does the pressure on your premiums in the next renewal,” he said.

He added that physical recovery does not necessarily mean a person has overcome the psychological effects of a crash.

“The bones have healed, but the person who comes back to work is often not the same person who left,” Lesiyampe said.

Figures cited by Kiplagat put Kenya’s road fatalities at approximately 4,300 as of October 25, 2026. Pedestrians accounted for about 37 per cent of the deaths, while motorcyclists represented approximately 35 per cent.

Together, the two groups accounted for about 72 per cent of reported fatalities, highlighting the risks faced by vulnerable road users.

Kiplagat called for safer infrastructure, responsible driving and effective traffic management to protect pedestrians. He urged motorcycle riders and passengers to wear helmets, avoid overloading and ensure their motorcycles are properly maintained.

Pedestrians were advised to use designated crossing facilities where available, remain alert to traffic and avoid distractions.

The NTSA official also called for stronger coordination among national and county governments, Parliament, training institutions, transport operators and other road safety stakeholders to improve enforcement, strengthen road safety data and protect vulnerable road users.

With heavier traffic expected during the festive season, Kiplagat urged motorists to plan their journeys, use roadworthy vehicles and qualified, sober drivers, and avoid speeding and fatigue.

Lesiyampe called for stronger emergency response systems, including better coordination between roadside responders, hospitals and rehabilitation services to improve assistance for crash victims.

Kiplagat said road safety initiatives should ultimately be judged by their impact on fatalities rather than the number of campaigns conducted or stakeholders recognised.

“Ultimately, our performance measure is the number of fatalities that we reduce,” he said.

The speakers called for sustained cooperation among government agencies, businesses, transport operators and communities to prevent crashes, improve emergency response and reduce the human and economic costs of unsafe roads.…Read more by Science Africa