Factors Contributing To Road Traffic Accidents Among Commercial Vehicle Drivers In The Kintampo North Municipality, Brong Ahafo-Ghana
Date
2019-03
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Publisher
University of Ghana.
Abstract
Background: According to World Health Organization (2015) over 1.2 million people die each year on the world's roads, with millions more sustaining serious injuries and living with long-term adverse health consequences. The road traffic accidents (RTAs) statistics in the Kintampo North Municipality indicated that commercial vehicles were more consistently involved In RTA compared to private vehicles; 144(94.7%) vs 8(5.3%) in 2015, 63(78.8%) compared to 17(21.2%) in 2016 and 164 (84.9%) against 29(15.1%) in 2017 respectively.
Aim: The aim of the study was to identify the factors contributing to road traffic accident among commercial vehicle drivers in the Kintampo North Municipality.
Method: A cross-sectional study design was used to access the factors contributing to road traffic accident among commercial vehicle drivers. Simple random sampling technique was used to select some of the drivers from the five main stations in the Municipality.
Only drivers who consented to participate in the study were interviewed.
Stata Version 15 was used to analyse the data captured. The Pearson's chi-square test and the fisher exact test were used in assessing the various factors that are associated with road traffic accident.
The simple logistic regression model was used to quantify the factors that influence RTAs where as the multiple binary logistic regression model was used to determine the significant variables that independently explain the cause of the RTAs. Significance level of less than 0.05 was used for the study. Result: The total number of drivers interviewed was 227. All the drivers were males. Very few of the drivers (n=9, 3.96%) were below the age of 18. Out of the 227 drivers, 126 (55.5%) reported to have ever been involved in at least one road traffic accident. About half 113 (49.8%) of the drivers operated with Taxi, 105(46.3%) Vans and the remaining 9(4%) were Bus drivers. The measure of association based on the simple logistic regression model revealed that the Bus drivers had the higher odds of involvement in RTA (UOR: 8.47, 95%. CI: 1.0 -70. 1. p-value: 0.048) followed by the odds of Taxi driver involvement in RTA (UOR: 1.54, 95% CI: 0.9-2.6, p-vaIue : 0.113) compared to that of Van drivers. The following variables were also found to be associated with the RTAs: drink - driving (UOR:2.42, 95% CI:1.17-5.00, p-value: 0.017), red traffic light violation(UOR:5.17, 95% CI:2.06-12.96. p-value<0.001), changing lane without signalling(UOR: 2.92. 95% CI:1.46- 5.86, p- value: 0.003), bribing police officers (UOR: 2.02, 95% CI:1.17 -3.48, p-value :0.011) overloading passengers(UOR:1.93, 95% CI: 1.08- 3.45, p-value:0.026), driving beyond maximum speed limit(UOR: 2.28, 95% CI:1.34- 3.9,p-value: 0.003) and bribing way through at DVLA for driving licences (UOR: 2.74,95% CI:1.47-5.12, p-value: 0.002). The only variabIe that was statistically significant in the multiple logistic regression analysis was drivers' violation of the red traffic light signal (AOR: 2.84.95% CI: 1.06. 7.63. p-value: 0.03).
Conclusion: This study found that driver factors: poor road practices and unprofessionalism were the major factor contributing to the road traffic accidents in the Kintampo North Municipality.
Recommendation: The Kintampo North Municipal Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the police service should intensify the education of the drivers on good road practices and professionalism to chance their attitude to reduce the incidence of the RTAs on the roads in the Municipality.
Description
MPH Degree
Keywords
Road Traffic Accidents, Commercial Vehicle Drivers, Kintampo North Municipality, Brong Ahafo, Ghana