Six People Perish in Tragic Road Crash on Nairobi–Nakuru Highway
The remains of the six men were then transported to the Gilgil Sub-County Hospital Mortuary, where family members are set to identify them.
The force was too much for the occupants, and the six people in the car were killed instantaneously. Photo/courtesy.
By Ruth Sang
A deadly road accident along Nakuru–Gilgil Highway claimed six lives at dawn on Saturday following a head-on collision between a saloon car and a bus near the Soysambu area of Mbaruk in Nakuru County. The men involved were all passengers in the small car, which was completely crushed in the accident.
According to police reports, the fatal accident occurred when the driver of the saloon car attempted to overtake another car on a bend in the busy road. In the process, the car rammed into a Promise Company bus traveling towards Nakuru from Nairobi. The force was too much for the occupants, and the six people in the car were killed instantaneously.
Investigations conducted on the spot by traffic officers showed that the victims had been traveling from Kisumu, where they had proceeded to attend a burial, and were on their way back to Nairobi. The accident that took their lives brought traffic on the highway to a standstill for hours as police, ambulances, and members of the public wrestled with clearing the scene and recovering the bodies.
The witnesses described the crash as horrific with the saloon car in a tangled pile of ruins. Some of the residents who happened to arrive soon after the accident stated that they tried to assist but the victims were already deceased when they arrived because of the severe impact.
This was attested by Nakuru County traffic police officers, who urged motorists to exercise caution while on the highway, especially during overtaking. They warned that road rage and reckless driving continue to be the leading cause of deadly accidents across the country. The police further noted that the Nakuru–Gilgil road section has been a blackspot for deadly crashes caused by speeding and dangerous overtaking.
The remains of the six men were then transported to the Gilgil Sub-County Hospital Mortuary, where family members are set to identify them. The two vehicles involved in the accident were also hauled to the Gilgil Police Station to be examined further as investigations continue to determine if human error or mechanical failure played a role in causing the accident.
The tragic crash has once again raised concerns over road safety along the Nairobi–Nakuru Highway, with residents and local leaders urging motorists to be more responsible in a bid to stem the rising number of avoidable fatalities on Kenyan roads.
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