Pedestrian Deaths Drop by 18%
Pedestrian deaths dropped by 17.98 per cent in July 2026 amid intensified enforcement by the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) and the Traffic Police targeting road users who flout safety rules.
According to NTSA's July road safety status report, 146 pedestrians died in road crashes during the month, compared with 178 fatalities recorded in July 2025.
The Authority attributed the decline, among other interventions, to stepped-up enforcement aimed at encouraging pedestrians to use designated crossing points, including footbridges, and comply with traffic regulations.
"Pedestrian fatalities declined in July 2026 as the Authority and Traffic Police intensified enforcement and compliance checks targeting road users who fail to use designated crossing points, including footbridges," NTSA said.
The latest figures come after NTSA launched an intensified crackdown on pedestrians who cross busy roads at undesignated points despite the availability of footbridges.
"We attribute this decline to, among other interventions, the ongoing enforcement efforts aimed at encouraging pedestrians to use designated crossing points and comply with traffic rules."
The campaign began in Nairobi on July 20, with NTSA working alongside the National Police Service and Nairobi City County.
By July 31, the Authority said at least 250 pedestrians had been arrested for failing to use designated footbridges and crossing points.
The crackdown has targeted several busy locations in the capital.
On July 21, 22 pedestrians were arrested and arraigned after they were allegedly found crossing the road instead of using the Allsops footbridge along Thika Road.
A similar operation at the Nyayo Stadium footbridge on July 23 resulted in the arrest of 45 pedestrians, while another 35 were arrested at Buruburu Interchange on July 27 for allegedly crossing at undesignated points.
NTSA has continued the operations into August, with more pedestrians arrested at Pipeline and Allsops for bypassing designated footbridges. The Authority said the enforcement is intended to improve compliance with road safety regulations and reduce pedestrian-related crashes.
Pedestrians accounted for about 38 per cent of road traffic fatalities recorded by June 30, 2026, according to NTSA, making them the largest category of road users killed in crashes.
The Authority's enforcement campaign is being conducted under its #StepsToZeroPedestrianDeaths initiative, which combines enforcement, public education and improvements to road safety infrastructure.
NTSA has urged pedestrians to always use designated crossings and footbridges where provided, obey traffic signals and remain alert when crossing roads.
The intensified enforcement has also been accompanied by public education campaigns. NTSA has warned pedestrians against using mobile phones or wearing headphones while crossing roads, saying distractions can reduce their ability to notice approaching vehicles and other hazards.
The push to improve footbridge use follows longstanding concerns over pedestrian safety on major highways.
In September 2025, the Kenya National Highways Authority began clearing hawkers and street families from footbridges and underpasses, saying encroachment had made some facilities difficult to use and could force pedestrians to cross highways at undesignated points.
However, some pedestrians have previously raised concerns over the condition, security, accessibility and location of certain footbridges, including poor maintenance, hawker encroachment and long flights of stairs.
Despite these concerns, NTSA has maintained that pedestrians should use available designated facilities rather than risk crossing busy roads.
The Authority said the July reduction was encouraging but urged continued compliance by all road users to sustain the decline in fatalities.