NTSA embarks on Road safety sensitisation drives as heavy rains … – Capital FM Kenya

NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 19 The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has embarked on a countrywide road safety sensitization exercise as Kenyans head to the festive season.

The authority is undertaking the exercise with key stakeholders as the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims 2023 is observed globally.

According to NTSA Director General George Njao, everyone should exercise caution on the roads by observing all the traffic regulations to curb the rising number of accidents and fatalities on Kenyan roads.

How many roads are paved in our country? How many people are we losing every other day if we will not do adjudicating continue for road safety as required? he posed.

The theme of this years day is Remember, Support, Act paying tribute to lives lost in road traffic crashes, acknowledging the efforts of emergency services and advocating for safe roads.

National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) CEO Anthony Omerikwa cited Alcohol and drug abuse as one of the key contributors of road carnage in the country urging motorists to avoid operating vehicles while inebriated.

Stay away from alcohol and drug use to promote safety on our roads. We shall work closely with NTSA to draw the publics attention to road crashes, consequences and measures to prevent them, he said.

Various victims of road accidents recounted their experiences of survival and overcoming challenges after road crashes.

If you see me standing before you it is a miracle. My hip was completely removed and I survive with an artificial hip. It has taken a lot of time and resources and maybe your family may end up selling everything. The moment you start your ignition, please, your safety starts with you, said Simon Mwangi a road crash victim.

Ruth Ndungu a Nakuru based survivor called the public to get first aid training so that they can be able to help and take care of victims in case of a tragedy occurring.

The pain is too much. You are working then all of a sudden you cannot and everybody has to take care of you, spending everything that you have just to get well. Do not be in a hurry because you will still arrive, she said.

In October, NTSA unveiled the National Road Safety Action Plan (2023- 2027) which aims to achieve at least a 50% reduction in deaths and severe injuries in designated high-risk demonstration corridors and urban areas.

Mohamed Daghar, the Permanent Secretary in the state Department of Transport, emphasized the urgent need for coordinated road safety efforts involving both national and county governments to enhance the safety of Kenyan roads.

We cannot be losing over 4000 people every year, and that is just part of it. We have people with permanent disabilities, we create widows and orphans. We collapse an entire household because the breadwinner is lost. The net effect of this road safety challenge is beyond understanding, he noted.

Road safety remains a critical issue globally, with the World Health Organization (WHO) estimating that over 1.35 million people die annually due to road traffic accidents, making them the leading cause of death among individuals aged 5-29 years and posing significant socio-economic burdens on societies worldwide.

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NTSA embarks on Road safety sensitisation drives as heavy rains ... - Capital FM Kenya