Background Kenya was one of 10 countries, and the only one in sub-Saharan Africa that participated in a 5-year road traffic injury prevention demonstration project, which was part of the Bloomberg Philanthropies Global Road Safety Programme (BPGRSP). The global programme focused on implementation of evidence based road safety interventions. In Kenya, the focus of the Project was to increase helmet wearing among motorcycle riders and to reduce speed on the main highways which pass through two implementation sites (sub-counties).

Methods Project was implemented between 2010–2014. Implementation of intervention was led by a consortium of six organisations. WHO as one of the organisations that took the role of coordination between national government and consortium partners. The local work was led by a local multi-agency working group of stakeholders (under the leadership of MOH) which were responsible for developing, implementing and monitoring of national and/or local work plan. A core package of road safety interventions (social marketing, legislative review, training of journalists, trauma care improvement, data system strengthening, child pedestrian safety) targeting the identified risk factors, were developed and implemented. Interventions were adapted for the local setting. Monitoring and evaluation, capacity development on enforcement and engagement with NGOS was led by the other consortium partners.

Results In the 5 years of the project, several achievements in most of the intervention areas were observed. Speed compliance at both intervention sites reached above 90%. Helmet wearing improved slightly (by 26%), but only at one site. There was a significant decline (over 85%) in the number of child pedestrian injuries and deaths at pilot sites. The national helmet standard was revised. Efforts to integrate some of the activities into the National Transportation Safety Authority and MOH’s work is ongoing.

Conclusions Targeted multi-sectoral action using a combination of evidence-based interventions implemented as a package, with adaptation to the local setting and capacity can lead to positive outcome. The sustainability of the positive results at intervention sites and scale up of the proven interventions to national level is a challenge in Low and middle income countries.