A Statistical Analysis of Road Accidents in Nigeria (Federal Road Safety Corps Onitsha, Anambra State 2002-2015)
CHAPTER ONE
IMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
This study is aimed at establishing the following factors:
- To know if road accidents in Nigeria are gender based, that is, do female road users fall victim of road accidents than their male counterparts?
- To equally know if road accidents in Nigeria are age based.
- To ascertain if there is a significant statistical relationship between educational background and road accidents in Nigeria.
- To know if records of road accidents in Nigeria has increased or not.
- To educate Nigerians and those interested in this study on the outcome of our research
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
Introduction
This chapter gives an insight into various studies conducted by outstanding researchers, as well as explained terminologies with regards to the statistical analysis of road accidents in Nigeria.
The chapter also gives a resume of the history and present status of the problem of road accidents in Nigeria delineated by a concise review of previous studies into closely related problems.
Theoretical framework
There are several major theories concerning accident causation, each of which has some explanatory and predictive value.
- The domino theory developed by H. W. Heinrich, a safety engineer and pioneer in the field of industrial accident safety.
- Human Factors Theory
- Accident/Incident Theory
- Epidemiological Theory
- Systems Theory
- Behavior Theory Accident theories guide safety investigations. They describe the scope of an investigation.
The Heinrich Domino Theory
Heinrich domino theory was a theory propounded by H. W. Heinrich. It is a theory of accident causation presented from the “Axioms of industrial safety” which was the first guidelines in industrial safety.Heinrich’s Domino Theory states that accidents result from a chain of sequential events, metaphorically like a line of dominoes falling over. When one of the dominoes falls, it triggers the next one, and the next… – but removing a key factor (such as an unsafe condition or an unsafe act) prevents the start of the chain reaction.
What are Unsafe Conditions and Acts?
According to Heinrich, all incidents directly relate to unsafe conditions and acts, which he defines as “unsafe performance of persons, such as standing under suspended loads … horseplay, and removal of safeguards”; and “mechanical or physical hazards such as unguarded gears … and insufficient light.”.
The Dominoes
Heinrich posits five metaphorical dominoes labeled with accident causes. They are Social Environment and Ancestry, Fault of Person, Unsafe Act or Mechanical or Physical Hazard (unsafe condition), Accident, and Injury. Heinrich defines each of these “dominoes” explicitly, and gives advice on minimizing or eliminating their presence in the sequence.
Social Environment and Ancestry: This first domino in the sequence deals with worker personality. Heinrich explains that undesirable personality traits, such as stubbornness, greed, and recklessness can be “passed along through inheritance” or develop from a person’s social environment, and that both inheritance and environment (what we usually refer to now as “nature” and “nurture”) contribute to Faults of Person.
Fault of Person:
The second domino also deals with worker personality traits. Heinrich explains that inborn or obtained character flaws such as bad temper, inconsiderateness, ignorance, and recklessness contribute at one remove to accident causation. According to Heinrich, natural or environmental flaws in the worker’s family or life cause these secondary personal defects, which are themselves contributors to Unsafe Acts, or and the existence of Unsafe Conditions.
Unsafe Act and/or Unsafe Condition: The third domino deals with Heinrich’s direct cause of incidents. As mentioned above, Heinrich defines these factors as things like “starting machinery without warning … and absence of rail guards. ” Heinrich felt that unsafe acts and unsafe conditions were the central factor in preventing incidents, and the easiest causation factor to remedy, a process which he likened to lifting one of the dominoes out of the line. These combining factors (1, 2, and 3) cause accidents.
Heinrich defines four reasons why people commit unsafe acts “improper attitude, lack of knowledge or skill, physical unsuitability, [and] improper mechanical or physical environment.” He later goes on to subdivide these categories into “direct” and “underlying” causes. For example, he says, a worker who commits an unsafe act may do so because he or she is not convinced that the appropriate preventative measure is necessary, and because of inadequate supervision. The former he classifies as a direct cause, the latter as an underlying cause. This combination of multiple causes, he says, create a systematic chain of events leading to an accident.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
INTRODUCTION
This chapter covers the description and discussion on the various techniques and procedures used in the study to collect and analyze the data as it is deemed appropriate.
Thus, the following areas will be treated: Research design, sources of data, sampling method, research instruments, reliability and validity of the study, administration of research instrument, description of data analysis and coding procedure.
RESEARCH DESIGN
The research design used for this study was the descriptive research design. Since data characteristics were described using frequencies and percentages, and no manipulations of data or variables were necessary, the researcher chose this research design. The researcher discarded other alternatives such as the causal and explanatory research designs, because accurate findings and data analysis may not be achieved.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
This chapter is devoted to the presentation, analysis and interpretation of the data gathered in the course of this study. The data are based on the number of copies of the questionnaire completed and returned by the respondents. The data are presented in tables and the analysis is done using the chi-square test.
CHAPTER FIVE
FINDINGS, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
The objectives of the study were to
- To know if road accidents in Nigeria are gender based, that is, do female road users fall victim of road accidents than their male counterparts?
- To equally know if road accidents in Nigeria are age based.
- To ascertain if there is a statistical significant relationship between educational background and road accidents in Nigeria.
- To know if record of road accidents in Nigeria has increased or not.
- To educate Nigerians and those interested in this study on the outcome of our research
Findings from the survey revealed the following:
- That road traffic accident has increased overtime in Nigeria.
- There is no significant relationship between the age and road accident victims in Nigeria.
- There is no significant relationship between educational background and road accident victims in Nigeria.
- There is a significant relationship between gender and road accident victims in Nigeria.
REFERENCES
- Adiele, S. C. K (2011). An Empirical Investigation into Nigeria Road Accident Causation Factors, University Press Ibadan.
- Akinyemi, E. O. (2009). Contributing Road Factors in Accidents on Rural Roads in Nigeria, in Road Traffic Accidents in Developin Countries Vol. I Asalor, Onibere and Ovuworie – eds, Joja press, Lagos.
- Anyata, B. U. (2009). Highway Drainage and Road Maintenance As Aspects of Highway Safety, University Press, Ibadan.
- Asalor, J. O. (2010). Towards Improved Road Safety in Nigeria. Technical Report No. Rts/00/82/011, Faculty of Engineering, Uni of Benin.
- Ikya, S.M. (1998) Urban mass transportation in Nigeria. Matriv Press Ltd, Abuja.
- Jacobs, G. D. (2010). Further Research on Accident Rates in Developing Countries, Accidents Analysis and Prevention, Vol. 24, Ibadan University Press, Ibadan.
- Odugbemi, O. O. (2010). Road Transportation and Tourism in Nigeria, Joja Press, Lagos.
- Ovuwori, Onibere and Asalor, J. O. (2010). Road Traffic Accident in Developing Countries Vol. I, Joja Press, Lagos.
- Sanders, R. A. (2010). Road Safety Management Paper Presented at the 2nd International Conference on Road Traffic
- Accidents in Developing Countries, 23 – 26 July, 2010. Benin City.
- Sheriff, M. A. (2009). Traffic Education and Safety in Nigeria, Nitours Journal Vol. II, Kano.