Stay Safe When Driving in Nairobi

Traffic in Nairobi is a growing problem, with a 10-15km commute lasting up to two hours. This is largely due to road capacity not matching up with population growth, which now stands at over 3 million. By 2030, Nairobi is expected to have over 1.35 million cars, with 7,000 being registered each month. This means that the traffic situation will continue to worsen. Traffic jams can make a carjacking harder to avoid, leave you sitting in polluted air for hours each day and even leads to more accidents. As a result, up to 13,000 Kenyans are killed in road traffic collisions each year. Here are some ways to avoid the jams and stay safe on the roads.

Get Up Earlier

Nairobi suffers from congested traffic during rush hour, which has led many Kenyans to leave their home at 5:30 each morning. This has some pros and cons. On the one hand, you can be sure you will be at work on time and that your commute is shortened. However, it is important to note the dangers of driving while tired. While there will be less traffic to deal with, driving without sufficient sleep will limit concentration and can be potentially fatal. To avoid this, consider taking a Matatu, even if you have your own car. Road Safety Kenya (RS-K) is working in cooperation with the World Health Organization to improve the safety of public transport. This includes ensuring that drivers follow all the rules of the road and do not speed.

Before rush hour, matatus can be a quarter of the price. You don’t have to worry about driving, filling up with fuel or parking. This makes it the safest, cheapest and fastest option. You can even use your commute time to nap so that you are more productive at work.

Walk/Cycle

This is of course only possible for shorter commutes, but it can be all too easy to drive when walking or cycling is also an option. If you are looking for an opportunity to get fit and you are sick of being stuck in traffic, try this environmentally friendly solution.

Exercise boosts both mood and energy, so it is the perfect way to ensure a productive day at work. You will feel better both mentally and physically, while avoiding the dangers of driving. RS-K is promoting the use of helmets for both cyclists and motorcycle drivers, but staying off the roads entirely is always the safest option.

Carpool

For many low paid workers, the commute to work is too long to be completed on foot or by pedal bike. However, you can still do your bit to ease congestion and help the environment by sharing your ride to work with others. The simple fact is that there are too many cars on Nairobi’s roads.

Firstly, look for friends and colleagues who you could get a lift with. If this is not possible, there are carpool services available to help you find someone to share with. This won’t in itself ease traffic by much, but your single action could be an example to others. If you have children who are teenagers looking for driving safety tips, you need to act as an example. By sharing a car, you can ensure your driver and other passengers are wearing their seatbelts and obeying all the laws of the road.

Driving on congested roads is dangerous, not to mention stressful and boring. The best option would be to walk or cycle, but consider public transport or carpooling if possible. Otherwise, going to bed and waking up earlier means that you can avoid rush hour traffic.