A 28-year-old Kenyan woman was crushed to death after her car hit an elephant on Monday.

The injured elephant smashed the Toyota Probox car, killing Ms Jackline Mwendwa Mwebia on the spot and slightly injuring Ms Josephine Kiogora and two others.

Witnesses said the accident occurred after the elephant, which was part of a herd of about six, suddenly emerged from the bush and stood still on the road in Meru County.

The driver of the first vehicle tried to avoid hitting the elephant but the animal moved and was hit on the legs, sending the vehicle rolling. The second vehicle hit the elephant and broke its leg.

The animal then sat on the Probox car, completely damaging the left side and instantly killing Ms Mwebia. Drivers in the area, which borders a Forest, said the animals were putting their lives at risk.

“The elephant sat on the vehicle and completely damaged it. This is not a case of careless driving but failure by Kenya Wildlife Service to restrain the elephants,” said Mr Cyrus Muriira, one of the people who had gone to the accident scene to rescue the injured.

Mr Silas Mugambi, a taxi driver, said residents had decided to clear the bushes near the road.

“You cannot see anything approaching the road since it’s dark and the area is bushy. The relevant authorities have neglected the road,” he said.