The National Police Service has expressed concern over a sharp rise in fatal road accidents across the country, warning that most of the crashes could be avoided if road users exercised greater caution.

In a statement on Sunday, NPS said it is working with other state agencies to conduct thorough and expeditious investigations into the recent incidents, which have left at least 48 people dead in just one week.

The Service noted that the crashes have caused immense suffering to families and stressed that every possible measure must be taken to prevent further loss of life.

“In the last few days, we have witnessed a spate of road accidents across the country. As a Service, we extend our condolences to the families who have lost their loved ones and wish a quick recovery to those recovering in hospitals,” the statement read.

According to NPS, the majority of accidents could be prevented if motorists and pedestrians avoided risky behaviours such as speeding, dangerous overtaking, drunk driving, overloading, driver fatigue, and careless road crossing.

“It should be appreciated that life is not only precious but irreplaceable. To effectively prevent deaths on our roads, all stakeholders in road transport must play their rightful roles,” it said.

The Service urged all road users to take responsibility for their safety and that of others and encouraged passengers to report reckless driving through toll-free numbers 999, 911, 112, #FichuakwaDCI (0800 722 203), or WhatsApp at 0709 570 000.

To curb the rising fatalities, NPS said it is stepping up enforcement measures including speed monitoring for public service and commercial vehicles, cracking down on overloading, targeting PSVs operating outside licensed routes, conducting anti-drunk-driving operations, removing unlawful lights from vehicles, verifying NTSA-issued licences, taking unroadworthy vehicles off the road, and checking PSV Sacco compliance.

“As a Service, we remain resolute in our commitment to ensuring safety on our roads in a sustainable and comprehensive manner. Let us all work together to make our roads safer,” NPS said.

The statement comes after several deadly crashes in recent days, including an ENA Coach bus accident in Mai Mahiu on Saturday night that killed a woman and a minor after a truck with failed brakes rammed into the bus, forcing it off the road.

On Friday, August 8, a school bus carrying mourners from a funeral overturned at the Coptic Roundabout on the Kisumu–Kakamega Highway, killing 26 people. Ten women, ten men, and a young girl died instantly, while 20 others were injured, five critically. Four more victims later died in hospital.

Other tragedies in the past week include a bus–train collision in Naivasha that killed nine, a matatu–lorry head-on crash along the Kitengela–Isinya road that claimed seven lives and injured eight, a lorry collision in Kisii that left two dead and 11 injured, and a crash near Gilgil on the Nairobi–Nakuru road that killed five.