Why NTSA Wants Road Crashes Declared a National Disaster

The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has proposed that road traffic crashes be declared a national disaster to trigger urgent government action.

In a statement on Sunday, October 25, the authority said road crashes had reached an emergency level, citing the thousands of lives lost annually and the impact of accidents on families, healthcare services and the economy.

"Declare road safety a national disaster. Road crashes have reached a national emergency level, with about 20,000 crashes claiming over 5,000 lives annually, destroying families, overwhelming our health system and eroding economic productivity," the statement read.

NTSA argued that recognising road crashes as a national disaster would help mobilise resources and support a coordinated response to the growing number of accidents across the country.

"As an Authority, we propose that road traffic crashes be declared a national disaster to mobilise urgent government action, secure adequate funding and ensure coordinated enforcement," the statement added.

NTSA said the approach would involve road agencies, the National Police Service, the health sector and county governments in a coordinated effort to address road crashes and strengthen accountability.

"Such a declaration would enable whole-of-government coordination under clear accountability, and enforce measurable targets across road agencies, the National Police Service, the health sector and county governments," the statement further read.

Elsewhere, NTSA revealed that improper overtaking may have contributed to a fatal road crash involving a public service vehicle (PSV) and a commercial vehicle along the Nairobi-Mombasa Highway on Sunday, October 25.

In a statement, NTSA confirmed the incident and expressed regret over the loss of lives.

"The Authority deeply regrets to confirm a fatal road traffic crash that occurred today, Sunday, 25th October 2026, at Kanga area, near Mtito Andei along the Nairobi-Mombasa Highway," the statement read.

The crash involved a PSV and a commercial vehicle, with preliminary findings pointing to a head-on collision. NTSA said investigators suspected that an overtaking manoeuvre may have played a role in the accident.

"Unfortunately, fatalities have been confirmed, and several other passengers have sustained injuries," the statement added.

NTSA said investigations were ongoing to determine the circumstances surrounding the collision, with its crash investigation team working alongside the police.

"Preliminary reports indicate that the vehicles collided head-on and suggest that improper overtaking may have contributed to the crash," the statement further read.

NTSA said the joint investigation would establish what led to the fatal crash as authorities continued to piece together the events preceding the collision.

"The NTSA crash investigation team is collaborating with the police to establish the full circumstances that led to the crash," the statement concluded.