The Nairobi-Nakuru-Eldoret highway has been cited as one of the world’s most unsafe roads that is prone to accidents.
The survey by Hertfordshire-based Driving Experiences ranks the highway as fourth riskiest in the world.
In a report published last week, the study further ranks the highway as second riskiest in Africa after South Africa’s Settlers Freeway.
The survey that analysed statistics from the World Health Organisation on road safety cites lack of barriers, poor conditions of vehicles, poor driving techniques and weather as major causes of road accidents on the busy highway.
The study comes as nearly 20 people lost their lives on the highway after the vehicles they were travelling in collided with trucks in separate incidents on the eve of the Easter holiday.
On Thursday last week, 11 people died on the spot after the Nissan matatu they were travelling collided with a lorry at Quarray area along the Nakuru-Eldoret highway. Hours later, six people were killed after their matatu crushed with a lorry at Kinungi shopping centre along the Nairobi-Nakuru highway.
According to statistics from the National Transport and Safety Authority, 31 accidents have been recorded on the Nairobi-Nakuru-Eldoret highway claiming 81 lives since the beginning of the year.
The horrific statistics continue to be experienced even as the government puts in place stiffer rules to curb road accidents,
Transport Cabinet Secretary Michael Kamau says that road accidents have declined since the introduction of digital speed governors.
The CS notes that a crackdown on flouters of traffic rules will continue until Kenyan roads are safe and sanity brought in the matatu industry.