
Pwani University Bus Crash Survivor Shares Last Moments Before Fatal Accident
On Thursday, March 30, a student from Pwani University recounted an unfortunate incident that happened on their way to Eldoret for sports events.
The student, who was in her fourth year pursuing a Bachelor of Education, narrated how the bus they were in witnessed another Pwani University bus overtaking on the wrong side at high speed in the Kayole area along the Naivasha-Nakuru Highway.
The volleyball player disclosed that they tried reaching out to their colleagues on the other bus but did not get any response.
She explained that their bus slowed down following the confusion caused by the overtaking incident. Upon reaching the accident scene, they realized that the other bus had crashed, leading to the death of 18 students.
The student said that she remembers seeing the driver of the ill-fated bus overtaking them on the wrong side and wondered what was happening. She further explained that in the confusion of the moment, their driver slowed down as they started reaching out to their colleagues on the other bus.
The student said that when they stopped, they saw a group of people quickly gathering ahead of them, and they disembarked. It was then that they realized that some of their colleagues had perished as the school bus lay by the ditch.
Another student, a second-year student pursuing a Bachelor of Philosophy, survived the accident where the bus hit a matatu. The footballer, who was still in shock, stated that his colleagues were full of life before the crash and were excited to participate in the sports events in Eldoret.
The fatal accident was captured on a dashcam camera, which showed the Pwani University bus in the middle of the road, occupying both lanes at full speed, almost colliding with an oncoming private vehicle.
Preliminary reports indicated that the driver lost control of the car, whose brakes had failed, making it collide with a matatu. As of the time of writing this, the National Police Service had not issued a conclusive report on the cause of the accident.
The incident that happened on the Naivasha-Nakuru Highway involving Pwani University students was tragic and devastating. It serves as a reminder of how dangerous it is to use public transport, especially when traveling long distances.
The incident also highlights the importance of following traffic rules and adhering to speed limits.
From the narration given by the Pwani University student who witnessed the accident, it is clear that the driver of the ill-fated bus was driving recklessly, endangering the lives of the students and other road users.
It is not clear what caused the driver to lose control of the bus, but preliminary reports suggest that the brakes failed, leading to the collision with the matatu.
The incident is a wake-up call to the government and other stakeholders to improve road safety measures and ensure that public transport operators adhere to traffic rules.
The government should also conduct regular checks on public transport vehicles to ensure that they are roadworthy and safe for passengers.
It is essential to note that accidents can have a long-lasting impact on the victims, their families, and the community at large. The loss of young lives is particularly heartbreaking, as they had a bright future ahead of them.
The survivors of the accident will have to live with the trauma of the incident, which can affect them for a long time.
Improved Safety Campaigns, Lower Road Accidents
According to the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), road accidents have slightly decreased due to increased safety campaigns.
The NTSA noted that more Kenyans are using footbridges to cross major highways, which has led to a reduction in the number of accidents. However, the latest statistics show that many people are still losing their lives on the road, with 1,055 fatalities reported this year.
Samuel Musumba, the NTSA manager for safety strategies, stated that 1,128 lives were lost during the same period last year, representing a 6.5% decrease in fatalities.
Musumba acknowledged the impact of various campaigns conducted by the authority and its partners, stating that public awareness has increased, and people are more responsible for their safety on Kenyan roads.
While the reduction in fatalities is encouraging, Musumba noted that there is still much work to be done to prevent road accidents.
The NTSA has implemented sensitization campaigns targeting key players such as boda boda riders, schools, and PSV operators, among others, and plans to continue rolling out campaigns to reduce fatalities on Kenyan roads.
Musumba said that the success of these campaigns is evident in the reduced number of pedestrian deaths, with 355 pedestrians perishing on Kenyan roads by March 27 compared to 392 in the same period last year.
Statistics show that 103 drivers have died compared to 108 last year, and 181 passengers have perished compared to 180 last year.
Additionally, 100 pillion passengers have died compared to 118 last year, while 19 pedal cyclists have died compared to 15 last year.
Motorcyclist fatalities also reduced to 297 compared to 315 last year. However, Nairobi leads in terms of fatalities, followed by Nakuru, Machakos, Makueni, Kakamega, Kisumu, and Kiambu.
One of the challenges that the country faces is following up on road accident victims in hospitals. The international practice is that authorities allow up to 30 days for follow-up after a person is involved in a crash and hospitalized. Unfortunately, this is not the case in Kenya.
The sources of data that the police obtain do not follow up to the hospitals, which is crucial in improving data on road accidents.
The NTSA is working with stakeholders to improve the data, and they have obtained resources from the African Development Bank through the Kenya National Highways Authority to improve the system.
Musumba stated that the data collected is useful in terms of decision-making and can help the country get resources towards road safety. However, hit-and-run cases are still high, and the authority cannot tell what transpired in such cases.
Pwani University Bus Crash Survivor Shares Last Moments Before Fatal Accident