Deaths from road accidents in Kenya continue to hold steady at about 3,000 people per year. This is despite numerous road safety initiatives by public bodies such as the NTSA and the private sector such as the Association of Kenya Insurers (AKI).
Recent comparative statistic trends from the NTSA shows that pedestrians and motorcyclists bear the brunt of road accident fatalities. About 40% of all deaths on Kenyan involve pedestrians while about 20% involve motorcyclists. The third-largest number of fatalities are passengers.
Below is a summary of the data released by NTSA.
Summary of Road Accident Fatalities
| Deaths | 2019 | 2018 |
| Pedestrians | 1,206 | 1,040 |
| Drivers | 298 | 269 |
| Passengers | 621 | 658 |
| Pillion Passengers | 294 | 218 |
| Pedal Cyclists | 64 | 49 |
| Motor Cyclists | 640 | 509 |
| TOTAL | 3,123 | 2,743 |
Period: 1st Jan to 19th Nov for both years
Cost of Road Accidents in Kenya
Kenya loses about 5 percent of its GDP to road accidents. In addition to vehicle damage, medical expenses and loss of life, there are also the knock-on effects of families losing a breadwinner.
Vehicle owners should ensure they only deal with reputable motor insurance firms that have the capacity to honour third party claims emanating from the families of deceased pedestrians and motorcyclists. On the other hand pedestrians and motorcyclists should have accident insurance (for as little as 2,000 per year) to mitigate medical expenses and to leave a nest egg for their families in the event of death.