Kenya should adopt Sweden's Vision Zero to curb road crashes

One of the most noticeable trends in Kenya is the government’s proclivity to navigate developed and developing worlds’ approaches to governance while overlooking front porch issues that need urgent attention.

The journey to Singapore, for instance, is an admirable endeavour, blending hope, vision, and prospection to create a perfect fantasy that is appealing to the masses. But before we trek this journey, let’s reflect on lessons from countries that have addressed challenges that we currently face, one of them being road accidents.

According to the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), 4,458 people were killed in road accidents in 2025, up from 4,311 the previous year. On average, this translates to 12 deaths each day, with pedestrians and motorcyclists accounting for the majority of the fatalities.

While road crashes have existed since the invention of motor vehicles, society’s response to the risks thereof determines whether they result in minor incidents or mass loss of life.

Europe was at this same point three decades ago, before a fatal crash near Stockholm in 1995 prompted national introspection and a policy shift. The accident, which claimed the lives of five young people, occurred after the vehicle they were in veered off the road and collided with a concrete lamp post.

Rather than focusing solely on the driver, Swedish authorities questioned the design work with concrete supports near roads, being identified as hazardous. This marked the beginning of a broader shift in responsibility from individual road users to designers and managers of the transport system.

At the time, more than 500 people were dying annually on Swedish roads. Today, Sweden has among the lowest road fatalities globally. The turning point came when policymakers asked a simple but profound question: How many road deaths are acceptable? The answer was unequivocal zero, creating the foundation for the Vision Zero approach, formally adopted by the Swedish Parliament in 1997.

This vision is premised on the principle that human life and health must take priority over mobility and speed. It recognises that people make mistakes and that road systems must be designed to ensure those mistakes do not result in serious injuries or deaths. Yes, road users must follow the rules, but system designers - engineers, planners, vehicle manufacturers, and regulators carry the primary duty to create safe roads.

Roads were no longer to be designed for ideal drivers, but for real people who may speed, get distracted, or misjudge conditions, with safety margins being built into the system.

Under Vision Zero, Sweden introduced several measures that significantly reduced fatalities. Median wire barriers on highways prevented head-on collisions, reducing deaths and serious injuries by half; roundabouts replaced traditional intersections, reducing vehicle speeds and the severity of crashes; vehicle safety standards were strengthened through initiatives such as the European New Car Assessment Programme, empowering consumers and encouraging manufacturers to prioritise safety.

In addition, every fatal crash was investigated not only as a legal matter but also as a system failure.

The initiative’s success led to its adoption in many other countries, including Australia, Norway, and the European Union, leading to a reduction in road accident deaths by one-third within a decade.

Cities like Bogotá reduced traffic fatalities by 14 percent through speed management and safer school zones, New York expanded protected cycling infrastructure, Georgia improved post-crash survival through streamlined emergency response, London introduced visibility requirements for heavy vehicles, while Odisha trained thousands of residents in first aid.

These examples offer a clear-cut framework that, if adopted in Kenya, could reduce road crashes significantly. Tackling challenges like informal vehicle construction, particularly in public transport, limited training, poor enforcement of traffic rules, and unsafe operating practices would be a good starting point.

Further, there is a need to look into the issue of poor signage, sharp bends, mountainous speed bumps, narrow roads, poor street lighting, and a lack of protective infrastructure. Cases of driver fatigue, distraction, and long driving hours also need to be addressed by ensuring better driver management.

Mr Onyango is a partner at Tripleoklaw LLP