World

Crash between bus and truck in Kenya leaves at least 36 dead

/ CBS/AP

NAIROBI, Kenya -- A police official says a collision between a truck and a bus in western Kenya has killed at least 36 people. Rift Valley Traffic Commandant Zero Arome said Sunday the accident involved a bus heading to the capital city, Nairobi, from Busia County and a truck heading from Nakuru County to Eldoret town.

Arome said the bus' brakes are suspected to have failed. The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has been criticized for failing to reduce road accidents, which account for around 3,000 Kenyan deaths every year.

The World Health Organization (WHO) says between 3,000 and 13,000 Kenyans lose their lives in traffic accidents each year. 

While authorities have blamed careless road users, unroadworthy vehicles and speeding for the accidents, other observers say poor road construction and maintenance are to blame.

Emergency workers stand near the wreckage after a deadly accident near Nakuru, Kenya, on December 31, 2017.  Afp Contributor / AFP/Getty Images

First published on December 31, 2017 / 3:47 PM EST

© 2017 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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