By Joy Kyalo
The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) have revealed a rise in casualties, given that 107 more died from accidents over compared to the same period last year.
General statistics documented by the police and the NTSA show that road fatalities between January and December this year stood at 3,663, compared to 3,508, during the same period last year.
According to the data, there is 9.4 percent increase of deaths compared to last year.
“Between January and December 13, 2020, 3,663 people died on the road compared to 3,348 of the same period last year, translating to 215 fatalities. Road accidents have killed 155 in the last 10 days, translating to a daily death toll of 15.” stated the data.
In line with the latest data from NTSA, fewer deaths of passengers and pedestrians were recorded compared to 2019.
A decline of 22.7 percent was witnessed on the side of passengers recording 512 deaths compared to last year’s 668.
NTSA statistics have shown that there was also a 1.3 percent decline on the side of pedestrians that 1,287 people lost their lives compared to 1,305 who died last year.
Some 323 drivers have died on the road compared to 319 who died last year which translates to a 1.2 percent increase.
However, the NTSA report also shows that 1,393 pedestrians were in the past 11 months seriously injured compared to 1,193 who were seriously injured in 2019, a 16.7 percent increment.
Some 291 pedestrians were slightly injured in 2020, while 267 got slightly injured in 2019, and761 drivers were seriously injured compared to 416 while 539 were slightly injured in 2020 and 437 in 2019.
An increase in fatalities among pillion passengers, pedal cyclists and motor cyclists was recorded during the same period compared to the previous year.
Motorcyclists led with 1,046 which is a 54.5 percent increase from last year which had 677 fatalities; 2,026 were seriously injured compared to 1,246 in 2019 while 513 were slightly injured up from 318.
Pillion passengers also recorded a 31.6 percent increment in fatalities compared to 2019, reporting 404 deaths against 307 from the previous year; 1,227 were seriously injured up from 778, translating to a 57.7 percent increment, while 532 were slightly injured up from 365 over the same period.
This is despite reduced travel and more people working from home due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The traffic data as at December 13 reveals that fatalities have increased compared to the same time in 2019.
