NAKURU, Kenya, May 13 (Xinhua) -- At least 18 people were killed and several others injured in a grisly road accident along the busy Nakuru-Nairobi highway early Saturday.
Nakuru police commander Hassan Barua said the accident occurred at around 02:30 local time when a commuter bus collided with an oncoming truck.
"The accident happened when the driver of the bus was overtaking a private vehicle but he lost control of the bus and side brushed with oncoming truck," Barua said.
"As a result of the accident, 18 unknown passengers from the bus died while an unknown number of passengers who were seriously injured were rushed to St Mary's Hospital where they are undergoing treatment," Barua added.
The police commander said the driver of the commuter bus escaped after the accident, noting that efforts to remove the bodies were in progress.
Road accidents still continue to occur despite stringiest traffic rules which were introduced by the government to help curb road carnage.
Kenya ranks among African countries with the highest toll of road accidents that are caused by over speeding and lethargic enforcement of traffic rules.
Government statistics indicate that the East African nation loses at least 3,000 people annually from road carnage, with close to half being pedestrians while several others are left with injuries, according to statistics from the police.
