Aggie Krasnolucka, Programmes Director at the FIA Foundation, which funded the ‘Fare Price’ report, said: “Africa is the only continent where road deaths are still increasing, particularly for motorcycle riders. Countries across the continent, including Kenya, are struggling to cope with the vast and rising number of deaths and serious, life-changing injuries, particularly from head trauma.”
Acknowledging that Kenya has “good motorcycle legislation but weaker implementation”, Krasnolucka said that even though there are strict laws on helmet protective standards, they have not been universally implemented. Police only rarely take enforcement action.
“Establishing helmet testing facilities to monitor the quality of helmets is critical to raise public and political awareness, change behaviours and, ultimately, ensure the helmets that are available and sold in-country are really saving lives,” she added.
Following the launch of the Fare Price report in Nairobi, George Njao, Director General of Kenya’s National Transport and Safety Authority, vowed that the government would do more to “ensure the safety of our motorcyclists”.
Yet the horrific death toll on Kenya’s ever-expanding road network mounts with each passing week. A few weeks after the study’s release, new figures showed that more than 1,000 people lost their lives through crashes in the first three months of this year.
Speaking at a conference in Nairobi to discuss the report’s main findings, Njao acknowledged that motorcycles are a “vital part of our growing economy in Kenya”. He also noted that while most people in cars are happy to wear a seatbelt, there is a lingering reluctance to put on a motorcycle helmet.
