Exploring Ghanaian commercial drivers’ intentions to wear a seat belt
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Date
2019-11-02
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Case Studies on Transport Policy
Abstract
Wearing a seat belt reduces a person’s risk of serious injury and death during a road traffic crash. Ghana has
mandatory seat belt laws. Despite this, only a few commercial drivers wear a seat belt. This study aimed to gain
an understanding of the factors associated with the intention to wear a seat belt in a sample of commercial
drivers in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. Drivers of passenger-carrying minibuses (N=303) completed an
interviewer-administered questionnaire based on the theory of planned behaviour. Structural equation modelling
(SEM) showed that attitudinal beliefs about seat belt use were positively associated with the intention to
wear a seat belt. Normative beliefs and perceived control beliefs were not associated with the intention to wear a
seat belt. The results demonstrate that commercial drivers in the Greater Accra Region seem to possess attitudinally-
controlled intentions, such that road safety campaigns that target the antecedents of attitude formation
and activation may strengthen behavioural beliefs about seat belt use intentions. Having positive attitudes towards
seat belt use should be considered by the National Road Safety Commission as an important starting point
for seat belt use safety interventions. For example, seat belt use interventions for commercial drivers that
combine education with the use of intelligent seat belt reminders (loud sound or light displays) may strengthen
positive attitudes towards seat belt use.
Description
Research Article
Keywords
Injury prevention, Seat belt use, Road safety, Commercial drivers, Theory of planned behaviour
Citation
Enoch Teye-Kwadjo, et al., Case Studies on Transport Policy, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cstp.2019.10.009