The Mombasa County Government, in collaboration with Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety (BIGRS), has launched the first Mombasa road safety report which sourced data from police crash records from 2019 to 2022.
Findings from the report show that the vast majority of reported deaths (93%) for the period were among vulnerable road users — pedestrians, motorcyclists, tricyclists, and pedal cyclists. Pedestrians alone accounted for about half of the reported fatalities.
Other key findings from the report include:
- Males accounted for 82% of the reported deaths from 2019 to 2022.
- The highest number of deaths in 2022 occurred among those aged 20 to 29 years old.
- Deaths were frequently reported following crashes which occurred between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. in 2022.
- 45% of deaths occurred from crashes on weekends (Fridays to Sundays) in 2022.
- High-risk fatal crash locations included Mombasa–Nairobi Road, Mombasa–Malindi Road/Links Road, Likoni–Ukunda Road and Changamwe Ward along Magongo Road.
In his keynote address, the Governor of Mombasa, His Excellency Abdullswamad Sheriff Nassir, commended BIGRS for working with the Mombasa County Government to develop the report.
“We extend our sincere gratitude to our partners for the collaboration in developing this report. Road safety holds a paramount position in Mombasa’s agenda, and their unwavering support propels us to implement data-driven measures to safeguard all road users in Mombasa, with a focus on vulnerable road users”, the Governor said.
Globally road traffic injuries account for more than 1.3 million deaths and is the main cause of death for those between the ages of 5 and 29 years. Over 90% of fatalities occur in low- and middle-income countries. In Kenya, road traffic deaths and serious injuries are estimated to cost USD 6.3 million — about 9.1% of gross domestic product.
The BIGRS Initiative Coordinator in Mombasa, Mr. Vipul Patel, stated that the report underscores a sobering reality and emphasized the urgent need for all stakeholders, both at the local and national levels, to come together and implement interventions that would help save lives.
“The burden of road traffic crashes poses a serious health, social and economic problem in Mombasa — especially since a majority of those who die are young and economically active.” Mr. Patel added.
Mombasa Road Injury Surveillance Coordinator, Selina Kwamini, expressed her gratitude to the Kenya traffic police for their support and collaboration in providing access to crash records used in the report.
The report also highlights behavioural risk factors for road injury in Mombasa. The findings show a 27% prevalence of speeding with sports utility vehicles (SUVs) topping the list of vehicles observed speeding over the posted limit. Correct helmet use was at 26% for drivers and 2% for passengers.
Speaking at the event, the Regional Technical Advisor for Africa on Road Injury Surveillance at Vital Strategies (coordinating partner for BIGRS), Dr Raphael Awuah, said “the report’s findings highlight the need to prioritize the safety of pedestrians, two- and three-wheelers and cyclists in Mombasa”. He further noted, that “findings on the most vulnerable groups, risk periods and high-risk locations should inform police enforcement, behaviour change communication and engineering interventions to reduce the number of road traffic deaths and injuries in the county.”
