Kenya Confronts Deadly Black Spots with New National Road Safety Plan

NAIROBI, Kenya - Kenya has launched a comprehensive five-year plan to combat the escalating crisis of road traffic fatalities, with a particular focus on notorious accident black spots that have claimed hundreds of lives. The "National Road Safety Action Plan 2024-2028," unveiled by the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) and the Ministry of Roads and Transport, aims to halve road deaths and serious injuries by 2028 through a multi-pronged approach of enhanced enforcement, infrastructure redesign, and public awareness campaigns. This initiative comes as the country grapples with a staggering economic cost of Sh450 billion annually due to road carnage, equivalent to three percent of its Gross Domestic Product.

The urgency of the new plan is underscored by the latest statistics from the NTSA. In the 2024/2025 financial year (from June 2024 to March 2025), a total of 3,581 people lost their lives in road accidents, a 10 percent increase from the previous period. The first nine months of 2025 alone saw 3,397 fatalities, with pedestrians, motorcyclists, and passengers being the most vulnerable groups.

Anatomy of a Crisis: Pinpointing the Deadliest Zones

Investigative analysis of NTSA data and police reports reveals a harrowing map of high-risk corridors across the nation. The Nairobi-Nakuru-Eldoret highway has earned the grim moniker "highway to hell," with several sections identified as catastrophic black spots.

Key black spots on this highway include:

• The Gilgil–Kikopey–St Mary's–Mbaruk stretch: In a recent three-month period, this section alone was the scene of at least 30 deaths. A horrific crash at Kariandusi on September 28, 2025, claimed the lives of 14 members of a single family.
• Salgaa-Migaa-Sachangwan: This stretch is infamous for numerous fatal accidents, often involving multiple vehicles. On August 20, 2024, 13 people died in a crash at the Salgaa blackspot.
• Kinungi and Naivasha: These areas are notorious for high-speed crashes and pedestrian fatalities.

In the Nairobi metropolitan area, several major roads have been identified as particularly lethal. The Thika Superhighway, Outering Road, and Kangundo Road are among the most dangerous, with a high number of pedestrian deaths attributed to the failure to use footbridges. Between January and April 2024, Thika Superhighway recorded 13 fatalities, while Outering and Kangundo Roads each saw 12 deaths. Other high-risk roads in the capital include Waiyaki Way, Mombasa Road, and the Northern and Southern Bypasses.

The Nithi Bridge on the Meru-Embu road is another infamous black spot that has claimed numerous lives since its construction.

A Multi-Faceted National Strategy

The National Road Safety Action Plan 2024-2028, launched on April 17, 2024, by President William Ruto, represents a significant shift from previous strategies by integrating road design and safety as core components. The plan is a collaborative effort involving the Ministry of Roads and Transport, the NTSA, iRAP (the International Road Assessment Programme), county governments, and international partners.

Key pillars of the action plan include:

• Infrastructure and Black Spot Intervention: The plan mandates iRAP assessments of major roads to identify high-risk sections. This will inform the redesign and implementation of safety features such as pedestrian walkways, improved signage, and the treatment of identified black spots, particularly along the Northern Corridor.
• Enhanced Enforcement and Technology: The NTSA has commenced pilot projects for digital speed and surveillance cameras on major Nairobi roads, including the Thika Superhighway, Mombasa Road, and the Southern Bypass, with provisions for instant mobile ticketing of offenders. The reintroduction of alcohol testing for drivers is also a key component.
• Vehicle Safety and Standards: The plan includes measures to align vehicle safety standards with global best practices.
• Public Awareness and Behavioral Change: Recognizing that human error is a major contributing factor to accidents, the plan emphasizes public education campaigns. A notable past success in this area is the "Zusha!" (Protest!) campaign, a randomized evaluation of which showed that placing stickers in matatus encouraging passengers to speak up against reckless driving led to a significant reduction in insurance claims and accidents.
• Post-Crash Care: The strategy aims to improve emergency response services for crash victims to reduce fatalities and the severity of injuries.

Challenges and the Road Ahead

Despite the comprehensive nature of the new action plan, experts and road safety advocates point to significant challenges that could impede its success. These include:

• Corruption: Bribery of traffic enforcement officers remains a major obstacle to ensuring compliance with traffic laws.
• Inadequate Resources: Historically, road safety programs in Kenya have been underfunded.
• Poor Enforcement: A persistent lack of stringent enforcement of existing traffic regulations has been a long-standing issue.
• Weak Institutional Framework: Critics have pointed to a lack of coordination and a clear legal structure for road safety planning and implementation.

The success of the National Road Safety Action Plan 2024-2028 will ultimately depend on the sustained political will to implement its provisions rigorously, tackle corruption within enforcement agencies, and secure adequate funding. For the Kenyan public, the hope is that this new strategy will finally turn the tide against the daily carnage on the country's roads and make journeys safer for all.

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FURTHER INVESTIGATION REQUIRED: While the new action plan has been launched, its on-the-ground implementation and effectiveness in reducing accidents at specific black spots will require continuous monitoring and reporting. The tangible impact of the newly installed speed cameras and the reintroduction of breathalyzers will be a key area for future journalistic scrutiny.