NAIROBI — Six people have died in a grisly road accident on the Nairobi–Nakuru Highway, reigniting fears over the country’s rising number of road fatalities.

The crash happened at around 4 a.m. on Saturday in the Soy Sambu area of Gilgil, when a saloon car collided head-on with an oncoming truck.

According to Gilgil Sub-County Police Commander Winston Mwakio, the driver of the car was attempting to overtake another vehicle when the collision occurred. “All six occupants of the saloon car died on the spot,” Mwakio said.

The wreckage has been towed to the Gilgil Police Station, while the bodies were taken to the Gilgil Sub-County Hospital Mortuary for identification.

A Deadly Weekend on the Roads

The tragedy brings to ten the number of people killed between Friday evening and Saturday morning in separate accidents across major highways.

Police confirmed that four more people — including three pedestrians — died in unrelated incidents. Seven others were injured and remain in hospital.

The spike in deaths has renewed concern about road safety, especially as Kenyans prepare for the busy festive travel season.

Growing Concern Over Fatalities

The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has voiced alarm over the steady increase in road deaths despite ongoing awareness campaigns.

Between January and March 2025, Kenya recorded 1,139 fatalities, slightly lower than the 1,166 reported during the same period in 2024. Yet overall, the death toll from June 2024 to March 2025 rose to 3,581 — a 10 per cent increase.

Pedestrians remain the most vulnerable, accounting for 420 deaths in the first quarter of 2025, followed by 301 motorcyclists.

The NTSA attributes most crashes to speeding, reckless overtaking, drunk driving, tyre bursts, and poorly maintained vehicles.

Police Appeal for Caution

Police are urging motorists to be more vigilant, especially at night and during early morning hours.

“This kind of overtaking on a busy national highway is recklessly dangerous,” Mwakio said, adding that investigations into the Gilgil accident are ongoing.

With the festive season approaching — a time when road travel spikes — authorities have intensified traffic enforcement and public education campaigns.

Multi-agency teams are conducting road safety audits, alcohol tests, and awareness drives targeting drivers, riders, and pedestrians alike.

The NTSA estimates that Kenya loses about KSh450 billion annually to road crashes, underscoring the deep economic and human toll of unsafe driving.

A Grim Reminder

As mangled wrecks are cleared from the Gilgil highway, Saturday’s tragedy serves as a sobering reminder of how quickly lives can be lost on Kenyan roads — and why safety must remain a national priority.