Five family members, including a woman and her four sons, tragically lost their lives in a road accident near Mbaruk along the Nakuru-Nairobi highway.
According to the police, the collision occurred on Tuesday, July 13, 2024, around 7 a.m. The accident involved a Mercedes, driven by a man heading toward Nakuru, which swerved into the path of an oncoming lorry.
Gilgil area OCPD Jamlek Ngaruiya explained that the crash occurred as the Mercedes attempted to overtake another vehicle. “Tragically, the five family members— the woman and her children— died instantly at the scene,” Jamlek said. The driver of the Mercedes, identified as Ambani, was taken to St. Joseph Hospital and is currently receiving treatment.
The lorry, which was en route to Nairobi, was struck by the speeding Mercedes, according to the truck driver. “The car was traveling so fast that I had to swerve off the road to avoid a direct collision,” the truck driver recounted. Despite his efforts, the Mercedes ended up in his path.
The truck driver expressed his condolences to the grieving family, saying, “I am deeply sorry for their loss.”
The bodies of the five victims have been moved to a morgue in Nakuru for postmortem examinations. Police continue to investigate the accident to determine the cause.
Road Safety Statistics
Recent data from the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) reveal a concerning rise in road accidents in Kenya. From January 1 to April 1, 2024, there were 7,198 road accidents, a significant increase of 1,908 cases compared to the same period last year.
Out of those involved, 3,316 sustained serious injuries, and 2,693 had minor injuries. In 2023, over 4,300 people lost their lives in road accidents, with an additional 22,885 individuals left with life-altering injuries.
