Fredrick Odiero
The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) in conjunction with the European Union (EU) have started a joint campaign aimed at enhancing awareness among school going children in Kisumu County in order to enhance road safety.
The programme dubbed ‘Usalama Barabarani road safety’ initiative targets schools and highways which have been spotted as accident prone areas.
A board member at NTSA engineer Meshack Kidenda said the initiative was started in order to address challenges faced by the most vulnerable such as school children, Boda-boda operators, pillion passengers and pedal cyclists.
Kidenda said during an awareness campaign at Highway Primary School in Kisumu that 837 fatalities have so far been experienced involving children under the age of 18 years in the year 2020.
“Road traffic fatalities have increased at an alarming level noting some 3,564 innocent lives have been lost on the road as at October 31st 2021,” he said.
He said that pedestrians and motorists are the most affected with fatalities rising to 1,241 and 984 respectively during the same year.
The official said that the trend can be revered if all good and sundry work towards road safety. He lamented that some people have gone to the extent of vandalizing road signs, adding that many people have been maimed while others have lost lives due to reckless driving.
He regretted that many people who use to take care of others have now been made dependents due to traffic accidents.
Kidenda said most of those affected are very innocent people who were just crossing roads or boarded public transport means.
During the launch NTSA gave Highway Primary school students some 300 reflective bag covers and a number of road signs.
School Head Teacher John Ongayni commended the NTSA for the noble gesture, saying that the school is situated adjacent to a major highway which is prone to road accidents.
Nyanza regional Traffic Enforcement Officer Mr. Mwangi Nganga said that all road users must be encouraged to observe compliance.
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