International development organisation, Transaid, has received funding from the FIA Foundation to lead the third phase of the National Helmet Wearing Coalition in Kenya. This project, initiated in 2021, aims to enhance safety for Kenya’s 1.4 million motorcycles, predominantly used as taxis.
Over the next 18 months, Transaid will collaborate with the Kenyan Bureau of Standards (KEBS) and the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) to establish one of East Africa's first helmet testing laboratories. The organisation will also work with the government to strengthen helmet-wearing enforcement and advocate for a regional focus on motorcycle safety within the East African Community.
Sam Clark, Head of Programmes for Transaid, emphasised the importance of this phase: “A key focus will be building the capacity to enforce helmet standards and raising awareness about motorcycle safety in communities. The coalition has made significant progress with local stakeholders, but there is still much to do.”
Aggie Krasnolucka, Programmes Director of the FIA Foundation, highlighted the urgent need for this initiative: “Countries across Africa, including Kenya, face rising numbers of motorcycle-related deaths and injuries. Transaid’s work has significantly raised political and public support for safe, affordable helmet use. We are pleased to support this next phase of their work in Kenya and across East Africa.”
The second phase of the project revealed that motorcycle users accounted for 35 per cent of all Kenyan road deaths in 2023. Despite helmets reducing the risk of death by 42 per cent and head injuries by 69 per cent, only 63 per cent of riders were observed wearing helmets.
While Kenya is the first country to implement the FIA Foundation’s Helmet Wearing Coalition, Transaid plans to share its findings globally to improve motorcycle and three-wheeler safety worldwide.
Transaid’s major fundraising initiative this year is a six-day, 474km cycle ride in October from Nyeri to Lake Victoria, including a visit to the motorcycle helmet project. For more information and to support the organisation, visit www.transaid.org.
