At least twenty people are feared dead following a road accident near Taru township in Kwale county yesterday evening.
The accident, which occurred at around 6pm, involved a shuttle that was heading to Mombasa and a truck driving in the opposite direction on the Mombasa-Nairobi highway.
According to the police, the matatu was overtaking on a continuous yellow line at the time of the incident.
“The preliminary incident report indicates that this tragedy and the senseless loss of lives could have been avoided if the matatu driver had maintained lane discipline,” stated the police.
The deceased’s bodies have been sent to the mortuary at Kinango Sub-County Hospital.
Two children were among those killed.
Motorists have been cautioned to be responsible and take steps to protect their own lives as well as that of others.
Statistics show that drunk driving, risky overtaking, drunk driving, intoxicated walking, drunk riding, and refusal to use helmets are all common causes of fatal accidents in Kenya.
In contrast to the 3,478 fatalities in 2020, 4,121 persons perished in accidents in 2021.
In order to ensure compliance with the rules of the law, drivers have been encouraged to use caution when enforcing the Traffic Act.
The police urged the general public to participate in the ongoing National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) Usalama Barabarani Program, which aims to educate people about safe driving practices.