Understanding road safety in Kenya: views of matatu drivers

Abstract

The key policy implication for improving road safety in Kenya is seeking measures to ensure responsibility by all road users through awareness raising in the short-term and reforming the matatu industry and addressing the root causes of corruption in the longer term.

Road safety and heavy goods vehicle driving in LMICs: Qualitative evidence from Nepal

“…They expressed frustration and stress at being blamed for crashes without proper investigation of the cause, and felt it adversely influenced their driving behaviour. Similar instances have been reported by Raynor and Mirzoev (2014) , with drivers in Kenya reporting to have low incentives to obey traffic regulations when being treated as scapegoats. The practice of blaming the driver of the largest vehicle is not uncommon in LMICs ( Heydari et al, 2019 ).…”

Historical Connections of Sexism on the Matatu

“…When females are excluded from an occupational space it can negatively affect their social status. It can also result in normalizing how men conceive of how women should perform in an acceptable role and so it becomes customary to exclude them (Raynor andMirzoev 2014, 316, Barker 2005). There is a perception that matatu work is not for females due to its aggressive work conditions.…”

“…Some even argue that this aggressive behaviour reflects the aggressive and youthful qualities of Nairobi (Ibid, 563). Despite the concession, matatu workers acknowledge that they have to meet daily demands, which forces them to react to bad circumstances generated elsewhere (Ibid, Rasmussen 2012, Raynor andMirzoev 2014). Furthermore, matatu workers are often the scapegoat for larger issues at hand despite the fact that they are trying to survive under intense circumstances that has resulted from government being unengaged (Mutongi 2006, 563).…”

“…Furthermore, matatu workers are often the scapegoat for larger issues at hand despite the fact that they are trying to survive under intense circumstances that has resulted from government being unengaged (Mutongi 2006, 563). These pressures cause them to lash out and be aggressive as well as occasionally participate in illegal actions (Ibid, Rasmussen 2012, Raynor andMirzoev 2014). The dangerousness and high instances of accidents, as well as overall behaviour can be attributed to the consistent demands from both passengers and owners.…”

"You are asking me to pay for my legs"

“…Thus, the creation and enforcement of government regulation is limited, giving these entities free rein over schedules and the ability to change pricing. While there has been extensive literature focused on understanding the perspectives of the operators (i.e., drivers and boda riders) of IPT [37,53,61,62,70], there is little work focusing on the perspectives of passengers and local technology creators. These perspectives are necessary because they serve both as direct users of IPT systems (who have frst-hand experience of any inequities in the systems), and also infuence the direction in which technology will impact IPT.…”