NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 6 — Two deadly crashes on Friday have thrust a critical but often ignored road safety issue into focus: the danger posed by stalled or stationary vehicles on Kenyan highways.The incidents — including the crash involving Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) Managing Director William Ruto in Taita Taveta which claimed the life of his daughter, and a separate Gilgil–Nakuru highway collision that killed eleven people — highlight how roadside hazards can turn fatal within seconds.A textbook case of obstruction riskPolice say the Gilgil accident occurred at around 9.30pm in Kariandusi when:A Toyota Hiace matatu rammed into the rear of a stationary trailer11 people died on the spot, including the driverFive others were seriously injuredThe fact that the trailer was stationary on the road at night immediately raises legal and safety questions under Kenya’s Traffic Act.What the Traffic Act says about stalled vehiclesKenya’s Traffic Act (Cap. 403) directly addresses such scenarios — and the law is stricter than many motorists realise.1. Obstruction can amount to a criminal offenceUnder Section 46, it is an offence to:Leave a vehicle on the road in a dangerous positionCreate a hazard that endangers other road usersCrucially, the law states that a person can be held liable for death caused not just by driving — but by obstruction.This means a stationary vehicle can legally be treated the same as reckless driving if it contributes to a fatal crash.2. General obstruction is also prohibitedSection 53 of the Act outlaws any obstruction of traffic, including:Vehicles left on highwaysPoorly positioned breakdownsFailure to remove or warn other motoristsEven without fatalities, this can lead to prosecution and penalties.Why the Gilgil crash fits the legal thresholdBased on preliminary findings:The trailer was stationary on a live highway laneThe crash happened at night, when visibility is reducedThe matatu collided directly into its rearInvestigators will likely examine:Was the trailer properly marked (hazard lights, reflectors, triangles)?Was it positioned safely off the road?How long had it been stationary?If negligence is established, the driver or owner of the trailer could face serious charges — including under Section 46.A wider pattern: deadly roadside hazardsThe Gilgil crash is not isolated.Just days earlier:15 people died along the Nyeri–Nyahururu road after a collision involving a matatu and a log truckAcross the country, common contributing factors include stalled or slow-moving heavy vehicles, poor lighting and lack of reflectors, and inadequate warning to approaching motorists.Legal duty of drivers with stalled vehiclesThe Traffic Act creates a clear duty of care. A driver whose vehicle breaks down must:Move it off the carriageway where possibleUse hazard lights and warning trianglesEnsure it does not pose danger to other road usersFailure to do so may result in charges under:Section 46 – if death occursSection 47 – reckless endangermentSection 49 – careless conductBottom lineThe law is unequivocal:A stationary vehicle can be as dangerous—and as punishable—as reckless drivingWhere it contributes to a crash, liability may extend beyond the moving vehicle to include the driver, the vehicle owner, and any party responsible for leaving it on the roadCrashes resulting from satlled trucks highlight a deadly reality on Kenyan roads: It’s not just speed that kills — sometimes, it’s what’s standing still in the dark.READ: Blurred lines: The silent threat of poor driver vision on Kenya’s roads