A side view of the vehicle that crushed along Ngong Road, near Dagoretti in Nairobi on February 20, 2022.
Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) has taken action after a widespread uproar following a grisly accident that led to the death of four people.
In a statement the agency shared on Monday, February 20, it acknowledged that the road was missing some safety features.
KURA further indicated that it had carried out several tests regarding the road’s usage and the safety measures would be implemented in due course. “We have assessed the current usage of the road and are already implementing additional safety measures to ensure users are safe.
“We urge Kenyans to drive carefully as we continue to improve the safety standards of our roads,” read the statement in part.
The agency also condoled with the families of the four individuals who lost their lives in the early morning incident after a vehicle hit a roadside wall and plunged into a railway track near Dagoretti along the busy highway.
“KURA is saddened by the loss of lives on Kenyan roads. Our condolences to the family and friends of the latest victims of Sunday 20th Feb 2022 incident along Ngong Road,” the statement added.
The incident had caused an uproar online with many Kenyans arguing that the highway was poorly designed making it hard for passengers to navigate at night.
The road is said to contain a bridge parapet that is curved into a bow and at some points, the lanes are not marked properly.
“At first glance, the road looks fine but anyone who has used this road will tell you that at this location while headed towards Junction, you cannot drive straight. If you keep left (the rule of the road) you have to swerve to avoid a bridge parapet that is curved into a bow.
“The lanes are not marked on this site and there is no signage/lighting! Drive at night & oncoming traffic always makes it look like you are far-right so you tend to keep left. Should you not swerve, then the chances are that you will end up in the gap shown between the red arrows,” stated Eric Kigada.
At the accident scene, witnesses intimated that the vehicle was heading to Nairobi before the driver lost control and hit a railway bridge wall before crushing beneath the railway tracks. It had seven occupants.
