Twelve pupils from different primary schools escaped with injuries after the bus that was ferrying them to school lost control and crashed into a tree near the Green Hills hotel.
According to Nyeri County Police Commander Wilson Makilap, the accident occurred when the driver of the bus, which was ferrying 23 students at the time, experienced brake failure, veered off the road and rammed into a tree.
Makilap said that all 23 students were rushed to Nyeri County Referral Hospital where 11 were discharged after receiving a medical check-up.
“All the 23 students were rushed to hospital where 11 were discharged after it was confirmed that they did not sustain injuries, six sustained injuries while the other six are being closely monitored by doctors,” he said.
The police commander said he would be inspecting the school bus to ascertain the actual cause of the accident and if it was in the right mechanical condition before the accident occurred.
According to a report by the National Transport and Safety Authority in January this year, at least 21,760 people were involved in road accidents last year. From the data, 9,933 people were seriously injured and 7,137 were slightly injured. A total of 4,690 died while the rest were left mostly with life-changing injuries.
The report noted that pedestrians were the most vulnerable road users with 1,682 of them having died in 2022.
Further NTSA said that the leading causes of fatal crashes in 2022 included hit-and-runs, tyre bursts, and vehicles and motorcycles losing control.
By Wangari Mwangi
