Causes of Road Accident
Chapter One
OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The general aim of this study is to ascertain the perceived causes of road accident among automobile road users. Below are the specific objective;
- Ascertain if ignorance of basic safety rules by the road users is a significant determinant of road accidents among automobile road users in Ijebu-Ode local Government Area of Ogun State.
- Determine is ineffectiveness of road wardens is a significant determinant of road accidents among automobile road users in Ijebu-Ode local Government Area of Ogun State.
- Determine if socio-cultural factors are significant determinant of traffic mishap on highways among automobile road users in Ijebu-Ode local Government Area of Ogun State.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
INTRODUCTION
The Federal Road Safety commission (FRSC) is a government agent with statutory responsibility for road safety administration in Nigeria. It was established in 1988. the federal road safety corps (FRSC) operates in all Nigerian states as well as the federal capital territory (FCT) A corps marshal of the FRSC Osita Chidoka (2008) said that 18300 road accidents have claimed 51251 persons injured in Nigeria in the past three years. He further explained errant petroleum tankers drivers were responsible for most of the accident in Nigeria he said that in the first three months of the year 2007, 2119 accidents involving tankers drivers claimed 301 lives meanwhile; one analyst has said the figure of fatalities by the police is a gross under – estimation of the death resulting from accident. Adegbenro (2009) studied the road accidents trends in Nigeria between the period of 1960 and 1989 his study reveal a sharp increase in fatal accident occurrence. Between 1960 and 1969 it was observed that over 18000 death occur as a result of road accidents by the third decade (1980 – 1989) this figure had increase to about five times i.e. more than 9200 death. According to Eke (2001) it has however being observed that most of the factors involving in road accidents are created and control by man. Man initiated the process that may yield a road accidents by traveling, he or she may travel as a pedestrian as a passenger in a vehicle or as the operator of the vehicle. Odero (1998) added that most vehicle operator also fail to ensure the road worthiness of their vehicle before they hit the highway which contributes majorly to road accidents in Nigeria. Occasionally, the vehicle operator fails to adhere to safety regulation for instance, fastening the seatbelt and ensuring safe condition of the vehicles. It has also been observed that during the festival periods and holidays, there are always more vehicles on the Nigeria highways and road, people tend to be rushing to meet certain commitment or to arrive at their destination earlier consequently, there are more accident during theses period than other time. A student, member of the red cross, Miss Kemi Oluwapo said that “road accidents, though labeled accidental, are most time cause by dangerous driving which informs why we keep on having them every day, despite effort by relevant agencies to have them minimized on our road and your surroundings at all times there could be many things going on in traffic all around you, so it is crucial that you pay attention to everything going on around you driving should be your only focus while behind the wheel. Some drivers while on wheels eat their breakfast, drink their coffees, apply their makeup and change their out fits and these are drivers that are involved in accident. (Antigba 1996 and Edom 1989) “the fewer the people that would die from road accidents the better Nigeria will begin to appreciates the federal road safety corps (FRSC) and it is believed that this is possible so talking of being able to show results with the (FRSC), being effective, delivering service reducing road accidents from 100 to 80 percent per month, it is then that service will be known to being delivered. The Federal Road Safety Corps have the responsibility of improving road safety and reducing road accident. Odelowo (1998) believe that the role of intoxication with drugs and alcohol is important in the cause of road accident worldwide. Odeleye (2003) in this view picture the road environment in Nigeria as an environment dominated by abundant combination of largely illiterate or inexperience or drunk or overconfident of drivers, unconcerned about the line of other road users knowing nothing more than the rudiment of money a vehicle and sounding their horn with reckless abandon, meanwhile operating poorly maintained vehicle on high quantity poorly designed ill maintained roads a society that is devoid of traffic law enforcement service and that is ill equipped with emergency Rad Safety facilities where Government, Police, and Military driver flour traffic laws with immunity where paramedical personnel are sometimes called and unconcerned about the agonies of road accident victims. Mr. Osita Chidoka, the Corps Marshal of Nigeria’s Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), said on Saturday that road accidents are the biggest killers of Nigerians, more than any other disease. Although he did not provide statistics for a reality check and comparison with other killers, Chidoka said the frequency of accidents has become a great source of concern. “No other disease is killing people in the country like road accidents and this is a source of concern for all the stakeholders,’’ he said in Sokoto at a Special Marshals Sectoral Workshop, with the theme, “Advocacy as a tool for improved road safety activities’’. Last year, 3,000 people, according to a contentious statistics given by the FRSC, died in Nigeria in 2,235 accidents, making Nigeria, the second country in the world with the highest fatalities on the roads. The World Health Organization and the National Union of Road Transport Workers all disputed last year’s figures. In earlier figures, FRSC reported deaths of 17,000 between 2007 and 2009.In comparison, 220,000 people were estimated to have died as a result of AIdS in 2010. Recently, the corps marshal and chief executive of the federal road safety corps (FRSC) Osita Chidoka said the 54 person died in motor accidents in the northern region of the country between July and August this year. The corps marshal made the fact known in Sokoto at a special marshal sectorial workshop with the term advocacy as a tool for improved road activities according to Chidoka; he said 15 people died during the eld-fitr celebration in August in Zamfara and Kebbi state. 12 of them died in Fsafe, Zamfara the diseased persons where all district head from Jigawa state who were on their way to Argungu Kebbi state, he said adding that the zone road safety 10 comes third nationwide in the ranking of accidents rate during the period “no other diseases is killing people in the country like road accident and this is a sure of concern for all the stakeholders. Mrs. Josephine AGwu cautioned that “if you do not have time to eat, change or apply your make up before you get in the car it is probably good idea to start getting up earlier. Those five extra minute of sleep won’t help you replace your destroyed automobile or help with your rehabilitation following an accidents” put down the cell phone, our cell phone now are a huge survival tool, they lets us make calls, receive and send text messages and e-mails, stuff in the internet and get directions, watch videos, take pictures and listen to music among other things but one place they don’t belong is in your hand while you are behind the wheel.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
INTRODUCTION
In this chapter, we described the research procedure for this study. A research methodology is a research process adopted or employed to systematically and scientifically present the results of a study to the research audience viz. a vis, the study beneficiaries.
RESEARCH DESIGN
Research designs are perceived to be an overall strategy adopted by the researcher whereby different components of the study are integrated in a logical manner to effectively address a research problem. In this study, the researcher employed the survey research design. This is due to the nature of the study whereby the opinion and views of people are sampled. According to Singleton & Straits, (2009), Survey research can use quantitative research strategies (e.g., using questionnaires with numerically rated items), qualitative research strategies (e.g., using open-ended questions), or both strategies (i.e. mixed methods). As it is often used to describe and explore human behaviour, surveys are therefore frequently used in social and psychological research.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
INTRODUCTION
This chapter presents the analysis of data derived through the questionnaire and key informant interview administered on the respondents in the study area. The analysis and interpretation were derived from the findings of the study. The data analysis depicts the simple frequency and percentage of the respondents as well as interpretation of the information gathered. A total of one hundred and twenty (120) questionnaires were administered to respondents of which one hundred and nine (109) were returned while one hundred (100) were validated. This was due to irregular, incomplete and inappropriate responses to some questionnaire. For this study a total of 100 was validated for the analysis.
DATA PRESENTATION
The table below shows the summary of the survey. A sample of 120 was calculated for this study. A total of 109 responses were received whiles 100 was validated. For this study a total of 100 was used for the analysis.
Table 4.1: Distribution of Questionnaire
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS:
Introduction
This chapter summarizes the findings on the perceived causes of road accident among automobile road users using Ijebu-Ode local Government Area of Ogun State as case study. The chapter consists of summary of the study, conclusions, and recommendations.
Summary of the Study
In this study, our focus was on the perceived causes of road accident among automobile road users using Ijebu-Ode local Government Area of Ogun State as case study. The study is was specifically set to ascertain if ignorance of basic safety rules by the road users is a significant determinant of road accidents among automobile road users in Ijebu-Ode local Government Area of Ogun State, determine is ineffectiveness of road wardens is a significant determinant of road accidents among automobile road users in Ijebu-Ode local Government Area of Ogun State, and determine if socio-cultural factors are significant determinant of traffic mishap on highways among automobile road users in Ijebu-Ode local Government Area of Ogun State.
The study adopted the survey research design and randomly enrolled participants in the study. A total of 100 responses were validated from the enrolled participants where all respondent are staff of traffic compliance and enforcement corps and state hospital Ijebu-Ode local government area of Ogun State.
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