The government has taken measures to improve road safety along the busy Nairobi-Nakuru highway by marking black spots and installing reflective road signs. This initiative by the Kenya National Highway Authority (KeNHA) aims to address the high number of fatal accidents, particularly near Naivasha where more than 30 people have lost their lives since the beginning of the year. The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) had previously raised concerns about the increasing number of accidents on this highway.
The erection of the latest reflective road signs near Naivasha has been well-received by residents and drivers who have noticed a reduction in accidents in recent weeks. Dan Wainaina, a resident of Kinungi in Naivasha, believes that the timely action by KeNHA and the visibility of the road signs will help to address the accident rate. He also suggests the installation of more speed bumps between the trading center and Naivasha town as an additional measure to curb speeding.
John Karanja, another resident, considers the road signs a blessing for motorists and pedestrians. However, he expresses concerns about acts of vandalism targeting the signs, which could undermine the effectiveness of the initiative. He hopes that security agents will deal with those responsible for damaging the signs. Silas Maasai, a trader, calls for more road signs along the highway, especially at black spots, to improve safety.
NTSA Director General George Njau had previously announced that they were collaborating with KeNHA to increase the number of road signs on major roads and repair potholes. He also mentioned the implementation of intelligent road management and safety systems targeting public service vehicles (PSVs) to reduce accidents.
Overall, the marking of black spots and the installation of reflective road signs along the Nairobi-Nakuru highway are seen as positive steps toward improving road safety and reducing accidents. The local community appreciates these measures and hopes that they will restore order and sanity to what was previously known as a dangerous highway.