Causes and Measures for Reducing Road Traffic Accidents Along the Kaduna- Abuja Expressway, Kaduna State, North-West, Nigeria.

Abstract

Background: Globalization has led to increasing motorization with a resultant increase in the frequency and severity of morbidity and mortality among road traffic accident (RTA) victims. This makes it important that the attention of all drivers especially commercial drivers be drawn to the causes of RTA and measures that can be taken to reduce road traffic accidents.

Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional research was carried out among 366 commercial vehicle drivers plying the Kaduna-Abuja expressway with the aim of finding their views on the causes and measures capable of reducing road traffic accidents along the Kaduna-Abuja expressway.

Results: Overspeeding had the highest frequency 102 (27.9%) of all the causes of RTA among the respondents, followed by bad roads 79 (21.6%), drivers’ impatience 62 (16.9%), dangerous overtaking 36 (9.9%), burst tire 25 (6.8%), driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol (DUI) 20 (5.5%), armed robbers/kidnappers attack 14 (3.8%), failed brake 10 (2.7%), sleeping while driving 9(2.5%) and others 9 (2.5%). Concerning measures to reduce RTA, road expansion had the highest frequency 137 (37.4%), this was followed by training of drivers on road signs and road safety measures 70 (19.1%), obeying traffic rules 69 (18.9%), regular road maintenance 65 (17.8%), effective markings of road safety signs 11 (3%), a campaign against driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol 7 (1.9%), enough rest periods for drivers 4(1.1%), and regular vehicle maintenance 3(0.8%).

Conclusion: the study has noted overspeeding, bad road networks, burst tires, dangerous overtaking, driver’s impatience, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, sleeping while driving, armed robbers/kidnappers attacks, and failed brake as the main causes of road traffic accident along the Kaduna-Abuja expressway and measures to reduce RTA include campaign against driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol, effective markings of road safety signs, enough rest periods for drivers, expansion of the road network, regular road maintenance, regular vehicle maintenance, training of drivers on road signs and safety measures, and obeying traffic rules. It was therefore recommended that strict enforcement of traffic laws regular road and regular vehicle maintenance are key to reducing or eliminating RTA along the Kaduna-Abuja expressway.

Keywords:

Road traffic accidents, , causes, road safety measures, traffic rules

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