Analysis of Road Traffic Accidents Trend in Rift Valley Region Kenya: Causing Factors and Preventive Measures

Road traffic accidents (RTA) in developing countries like Kenya have been cited as one of the major causes of death for young people and eighth leading cause of death globally, with a predestined 1.2 million deaths every year. Although 52% of the world’s vehicles are recorded in developing countries, 80% of road traffic deaths occur in these regions (WHO, 2013). Road traffic accidents have been classified as the second leading cause of death after malaria hence highlighting the urgent need for a paradigm shift to curb this up surging menace. This study was carried out to analyse road traffic accident (RTA) trends, identify contributing factors and come up with holistic preventive measures to reduce road carnage within the Rift Valley region of Kenya. In the study, primary data was collected from a survey conducted using structured questionnaires, which were randomly distributed to 70 drivers and 30 hawkers at famous stopovers along Nakuru-Eldoret road in the Rift Valley region. Random sampling techniques ensured that every frequent hawker and drivers in these stopovers had an equal chance of being selected from the entire target population. Secondary data was congregated from road traffic accident (RTA) records for a period of three years, (2021-2023) obtained from traffic police records in Rift Valley, Kenya. The key research question for this study was: What are the key regional and global trends in road accidents, and how do factors such as infrastructure, driver behaviour and vehicle safety impact accident frequency and severity? The key findings from the study showed an increase in road traffic accident (RTA) cases over the three-year period, with correlation to population growth as evidenced by descriptive and correlation statistics analysis. The mode magnitude further indicated a significant increase of road traffic accident (RTA) with population growth in the Rift Valley. In addition, the annual distribution also showed significant differences in road traffic accident (RTA) cases across the three years. Survey results indicated that motorcycle pillion passengers were the most affected victims, accounting for 49%, while drivers were the least affected at 10%. Moreover, human error, defects, obstructions and weather were recorded as the leading causes of accidents. Findings of the study will help demystify the best approaches on road safety campaigns and best practices to curb road carnages within Rift Valley region.