KCA University has partnered with Technical University of Dortmund in Germany to set up the Centre for Road Safety Awareness and Traffic Injury Surveillance in a bid to reduce road carnage.
The centre, which will be the first of its kind in the country, will be a one-stop shop for gathering and transmitting scientific data, that will lead to policy formulation, discovery and innovation, KCA Vice Chancellor and CEO Prof Isaiah Wakindiki has said.
The Technical University is helping in development of the initial stages of the centre, which is expected to be completed by the end of this year, the VC said.
“We are partnering with established institutions that have done a lot in this area. At the moment, one of our faculty members is on a three-month scientific visit in Germany and among other things is doing the initial data collection and fine-tuning the setting up of this centre.”
Speaking at the main campus in Ruaraka, Nairobi, Wakindiki said they are also collaborating with road agencies such as the NTSA and the Kenya National Highways Authority to streamline the collection and analysis of road carnage data.
“This is pivotal in getting to the root causes and ultimately developing solutions through education, advocacy and policy-making,” he said.
The university has lost students to road accidents, the VC said, which prompted them to take the bull by its horns.
“Here at KCA probably because we are situated near a highway, on average we are losing a student per year through road carnage. This year alone, from January to date, we have already lost a student.
“We have been talking about road safety for the longest time through various sectors of the country but no university has domesticated it in the form of a research centre. This is what we will do here at KCA University."
Data from the National Transport and Safety Authority indicates that 7,198 Kenyans have been involved in road accidents since the year started.
Of these, 1,189 died, 3,316 were seriously injured and 2,693 suffered minor injuries. Pedestrians account for the highest fatalities in 2024 at 436, followed by motorcyclists at 276 fatalities.
“We are here to provide solutions to challenges affecting society. We will use research and innovation to alleviate these accidents,” Wakindiki said.
To raise funds, the university held its second edition of the VC & CEO Cycling Tour. The tour ended on Saturday.
Part of the Sh15 million the institution sought to raise through the tour will be spent on establishment of the centre.
The cycling tour - from Nairobi, Nakuru, Kapsabet, Kakamega, Kisumu, Kisii, Narok and back - was also used to sensitise members of the public on safe road usage for motorists, cyclists and pedestrians as well as advocating for a healthy lifestyle.