A Dreamline bus carrying 52 passengers crashed into a stationary lorry on the Nairobi-Mombasa highway near Taru, Kwale County, in the early morning hours. The Sub-County Police Commander, Lydia Mambo, confirmed that one person died at the scene, while another victim succumbed to injuries while being transported to hospital. The bus collided with the stationary lorry, which had developed a mechanical fault and stopped on the highway.
Investigations revealed that the lorry's driver had not placed road safety cones around the vehicle to alert approaching motorists, a lapse that police believe contributed directly to the collision. The stretch of the Mombasa-Nairobi highway is particularly treacherous during the early hours of the morning, when reduced visibility caused by rain showers or mist makes driving hazardous. Commander Mambo urged drivers to exercise caution while driving.
The bus conductor is also believed to have died in the crash, with both the conductor and the passenger who was initially found alive reportedly seated in the VIP section of the vehicle at the time of impact. A passenger who was pulled alive from the wreckage had died while being rushed to hospital, pushing the total number of fatalities from the incident to two. Six other passengers sustained injuries in the crash.
The incident has sparked a mix of grief and caution among Kenyans on social media, with many calling for drivers to be more careful on the roads. One user wrote, urging people to sit on the driver's side when boarding a PSV. The accident has raised concerns about road safety, particularly on the Nairobi-Mombasa highway.
This is not the first fatal accident to occur on Kenyan roads recently. TUKO previously reported on the Kikopey crash, which killed five family members, including two children aged two and three. The victims were travelling back to Nairobi after burying their family matriarch in Kisumu when their car collided with an Easy Coach bus.
The grieving relatives of the Kikopey crash victims have since held a fundraiser to help provide the five with a dignified final send-off. The accident has highlighted the need for increased road safety measures and awareness in Kenya. Police are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the Dreamline bus crash.
The authorities have confirmed that the stationary truck had a mechanical problem but no road safety cones to warn oncoming motorists. The police are urging drivers to be vigilant and take necessary precautions to avoid accidents. The incident has resulted in a significant response from the public, with many expressing their condolences to the families of the victims.
Key points
- A passenger pulled alive from the wreckage of a Dreamline bus crash in Kenya has died, raising the death toll to two.
- The accident occurred when the bus collided with a stationary lorry that had developed a mechanical fault and stopped on the highway without warning cones.
- The incident has sparked concerns about road safety in Kenya, particularly on the Nairobi-Mombasa highway.
