Five people cheated death after a road accident involving a private car and a trailer along the busy Nairobi-Mombasa highway in Machakos County. The incident occurred on May 10, 2025, at around 5:00 pm in the Kyumbi area within Athi River subcounty. Despite the severity of the collision, all five occupants of the vehicle, including two males, two females, and a child, sustained only minor injuries.
The vehicle involved was a Toyota Harrier, which collided head-on with a trailer as it traveled towards Mombasa. Eyewitnesses reported that the car was moving in the direction from Nairobi towards Mombasa when the accident happened. The trailer, which was coming from the opposite direction, was involved in the crash that caused the collision. Although the car was extensively damaged, no fatalities were reported at the scene, and the injured were swiftly attended to.
Emergency response teams promptly arrived at the scene and transported the five individuals to Machakos Level 5 Hospital for medical care. Their injuries were assessed and treated, and they were later expected to recover with outpatient care. The authorities indicated that the driver of the car was in a state of shock and unable to provide clear details about the accident, leaving the cause of the collision unclear. The police are conducting further investigations into the incident.
The accident caused a major traffic disruption along the Nairobi-Mombasa highway, with a significant traffic jam stretching for several kilometers. The traffic situation persisted for hours until the wreckage was cleared from the road, allowing normal flow to resume. As the investigation into the crash continues, the car involved was towed to Kyumbi Police Station for inspection.
In an effort to enhance road safety, particularly for school children, the AA Kenya driving school has partnered with the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA), the Lower Eastern region, and the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA). The partnership aims to promote road safety education by distributing educational materials, reflective sashes, and umbrellas. These items have been distributed to pupils as part of ongoing efforts to improve road safety awareness in the region.
To date, the campaign has reached 37 schools across Kitui, Machakos, and Makueni counties, benefiting over 18,000 pupils. The initiative is part of a broader strategy to reduce road accidents and fatalities, particularly among young road users who are more vulnerable to traffic incidents. Road safety awareness programs like these play a crucial role in informing the public, especially schoolchildren, about the importance of following traffic rules, using pedestrian paths, and wearing safety gear such as reflective clothing when walking along roads.
As the authorities continue to monitor and address road safety concerns, there is an increasing focus on reducing the occurrence of such accidents. The public is encouraged to exercise caution while traveling on busy highways, particularly during peak traffic hours when accidents are more likely to occur. The collaboration between various organizations reflects a unified approach to improving road safety and preventing further tragedies on the roads.
