Likoni Accident Highlights Kenya’s Rising Road Fatalities

A tragic accident at the Likoni Crossing Channel in Mombasa on Friday night claimed the life of a woman and left another man seriously injured.

The incident occurred around 7:15 p.m. when a lorry transporting building blocks lost control while descending the mainland ramp towards the ferry. Police reported that the lorry struck a female pedestrian, killing her instantly, and left a male pedestrian with severe leg fractures. The injured man was rushed to Likoni Sub-County Hospital, while the deceased’s body was taken to the Coast General Hospital Mortuary.

The lorry involved in the crash has been impounded at Likoni Police Station as investigations proceed.

The Likoni Channel is notorious for frequent accidents, raising persistent safety concerns for pedestrians and motorists. The tragedy adds to the growing tally of road fatalities in Kenya, where over 4,000 deaths have been recorded so far this year.

Data from police show a rise in fatal accidents in 2024, with 4,282 deaths reported between January and November compared to 3,901 during the same period in 2023. Serious injuries also increased, with 10,662 cases recorded in 2024, up from 9,501 in 2023.

Pedestrians continue to be the most affected, with 1,637 fatalities recorded this year compared to 1,413 in 2023. Passenger deaths also rose to 788 in 2024, up from 673 in 2023.

The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) attributes the leading causes of fatal crashes to hit-and-runs, tyre bursts, loss of vehicle control, improper overtaking, and head-on collisions resulting from lane discipline violations.

The incident underscores the urgent need for improved road safety measures across the country.