The County Government of Mombasa has launched a road safety mass media campaign aimed at reducing speeding and lowering traffic crashes, injuries, and fatalities across the county.
Developed with support from Vital Strategies under the Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety (BIGRS), the campaign titled “You control the speed. Speed controls the outcome” focuses on educating motorists on the dangers of speeding and its impact on stopping distance and crash severity.
The campaign uses real-life driving simulations and traffic police demonstrations to show how even small speed increases significantly increase stopping distance and the likelihood of severe or fatal injuries.
Officials said the initiative comes at a time of increased traffic volumes during the June tourism and conference season, a period often associated with higher crash rates. Speeding remains one of the leading causes of road fatalities in Mombasa and across Kenya.
Data shows that 20–27% of drivers exceed speed limits, with median speeds rising from 39 km/h to 44 km/h. Speeding is most common among SUVs, pickups, light trucks, sedans, motorcycles, and public service vehicles, particularly during weekends.
Mombasa records an estimated 80–90 road fatalities annually, with pedestrians accounting for more than 55% of deaths. Local estimates indicate that speeding contributes to nearly half of all road deaths in the county.
Nationally, Kenya records over 4,000 road deaths annually, with vulnerable road users—including pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists, and three-wheeler users—accounting for the majority of fatalities.
The Mombasa Road Safety Risk Factors Report further highlights that SUVs and other large vehicles pose greater risks to pedestrians due to their size and the severity of their impacts. Speeding is identified as a key factor increasing both crash likelihood and injury severity.
The campaign is designed to complement enforcement efforts and address risky driving behavior, including overconfidence among motorists who believe they can safely exceed speed limits.
County Chief Officer for Transport and Infrastructure, Eng. Ali A. Shariff, said the county remains committed to data-driven road safety interventions under the Safe System approach.
Vital Strategies Communication Manager for Kenya, Tsion Kiros, said mass media campaigns, when combined with enforcement, are effective in changing driver behavior and reducing road deaths.
The four-week campaign will run across television, radio, digital platforms, billboards, public transport branding, and targeted community outreach activities, including police-led sensitization on safe driving practices and stopping distances.
