The Mombasa County Government, in partnership with the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) and the National Police Service (NPS), launched the “Slow Down, Speeding Ruins Lives” media campaign. This campaign emphasizes the risks of speeding and the significance of sticking to safe speed limits in order to protect and save lives.
Delivering H.E. Mombasa Governor Abdullswamad Sheriff Nassir’s speech at the campaign launch, Transport and Infrastructure CECM Dan Manyala lauded the initiative for its potential to save lives and for its novel approach to tackling speeding as a major risk factor.
“We continue to lose too many lives on our roads due to speeding. I urge all drivers and road users within Mombasa and across the country to be cautious this festive season and observe the set speed limits. Drive safe to arrive safe,” the Governor said.
Reducing road crashes in Kenya requires collective action from all road users, government bodies, law enforcement, and road safety organizations. Adhering to safe speed limits is a critical step in preventing road crashes and saving lives.
According to a 2023 report by the NTSA, over 4,000 lives are lost annually on Kenyan roads, with speeding identified as one of the leading risk factors. This highlights the urgent need for enhanced road safety measures to reduce injuries and fatalities.
The Speed Ruins Lives: Slow Down campaign seeks to educate drivers and the general public on Kenya’s speed limits while supporting their enforcement.
The campaign received technical support from Vital Strategies, a global public health organization and an implementing partner of the Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety (BIGRS).
Extensive message testing conducted across four counties in collaboration with USIU-Africa informed the campaign. PSAs with different approaches were tested to identify which would most effectively resonate with the public.
BIGRS Initiative Coordinator, Mr. Vipul Patel, highlighted the global challenge of speed management and the need for a sustained, multidisciplinary response. “Effective speed management is critical in ensuring road safety,” he said.
Speeding is a key factor in road safety. It increases the risk of a crash and the severity of the injuries sustained when a crash occurs.
Everyone deserves safe streets. Yet, an estimated 1.19 million lives are lost on the world’s roads each year, with speeding a leading cause of these preventable tragedies,” said Tsion Kiros, Communication Manager for Kenya at Vital Strategies. “Governments need to fundamentally reimagine road safety: prioritizing those most at risk—pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcyclists—to reduce the likelihood and the severity of crashes.
NTSA Director General George Njao reaffirmed the authority’s commitment to collaborating with the NPS in preventing road traffic crashes during the festive season.
“Speeding has claimed far too many lives. Observing safe speed limits is not just about following traffic laws; it’s about saving lives,” Mr. Njao said. The Authority will enhance its collaboration with NPS and other stakeholders to sensitize, educate, and enforce safe speed limits during this festive season.
The speeding campaign will be rolled out with the National Police Service (NPS) in Mombasa, who have been training on safe speed implementation and best practices through the Global Road Safety Partnership (GRSP). Enforcement will be done through the use of speed cameras that will be able to capture drivers exceeding speed limits. NPS will actively engage drivers in areas where speed cameras are deployed to curb speeding on major roads within Mombasa. Drivers found exceeding speed limits will be issued fines or traffic tickets, and in severe cases, may be required to appear in court.
The campaign materials will be disseminated on TV, radio, and digital platforms in five languages and supported by digital billboards across Mombasa. Police-led outreach at key traffic points will engage drivers, encouraging them to sign pledges for safer driving.
Social media amplification by NTSA, local leaders, and community partners will further extend the campaign’s reach.
