Over 57 percent of all accidents are as a result of basic human errors, according to Eng. Wilfred Oginga from the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA).
Oginga was speaking Wednesday at the Inaugural Transport and Infrastructure Conference and Expo in Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) Nairobi.
The ongoing Conference expected to end today brings together all relevant actors from the transport industry to engage in meaningful and insightful dialogue.
Oginga noted that appropriate technology ought to be deployed to help in enforcing traffic laws along with the police.
“We have a bad driving culture that ought to change; 2 per cent of road accidents are as a result of bad vehicle conditions, 3 per cent as a result of road infrastructure and a staggering 57 per cent as a result of basic human errors,” he said.
At the same time, Eng. Samuel Omer from The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHa) stated that road safety is a shared responsibility of all motorists.
“Only 3 per cent of road accidents are as a result of the state of infrastructure, very rarely will an accident occur because of road design,” he said.
At the same time, Eng. Omer noted that the police cannot be everywhere as enforcers and that motorists ought to police themselves at times.
Kenya Breweries Limited representative Maryanne Nderu stated that the company is working to implement a sustainability agenda through positive drinking and discouraging drinking-and-driving.
“More and more motorists need to take personal responsibility for their lives while driving on our roads and act as though they are the only sane drivers. Be vigilant and do not depend on another driver’s discernment,” said Nderu.
On his part, Nation Media Group CEO Stephen Gitagama expressed that a strong transport system is at the heart of any strong society.
“This is a forum for all actors to engage and continue to build our transport sector that accounts for 8.3 per cent of the country’s GDP,” said Gitagama.
By Michael Mulinge and Bruno Rono
