Host, vehicular and environmental factors responsible for road traffic crashes in a nigerian city: identifiable issues for road traffic injury control

Abstract

IntroductionRoad traffic injury (RTI) has assumed major public health importance world-wide and the burden is heavier on the health-care infrastructure of countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. In Nigeria, RTI is the leading cause of trauma related morbidity and mortality. While there are some published epidemiological reports on RTI in the region, studies on the mechanism of causation of road traffic crashes (RTC) are not available.MethodsOver a 9-month period, we prospectively captured the 571 victims of RTC presenting to a single tertiary health care center in Nigeria. Data collected include demographic data, Mechanism of causation of RTC, Injuries sustained and outcomes.ResultsOver three-quarters of the victims are young people and half were either traders (27.5%) or students (20%). Pedestrians, motorcycle riders and open truck occupants (people sitting at the rear loading compartment of trucks) often had fatal injuries. Analysis of collision patterns showed that lone crashes were the most frequent though car-to-motorcycle crashes caused a quarter of the deaths. Host factors (over-speeding driver, driver misjudgment, sleeping driver etc.) were responsible for four-fifths of the crashes while vehicular and environmental factors accounted for the remaining. On binary regression analysis, head injured victims had higher odds of dying than the non-head injured (Odds ratio = 6.5).ConclusionThis paper elucidates the mechanisms of causation of and types of injuries sustained following RTC in Nigeria and thus provide opportunities for prevention and control of this unacceptable situation.

The burden of road traffic crashes, injuries and deaths in Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis

“…39 , 42 Ethiopia recorded the highest death rate at 81.6 per 100 000 population in 2011, 11 while the lowest death rate was recorded in Nigeria at 1.64 per 100 000 population in 2007. 43 …”

“…From individual studies, road traffic death rates among pedestrians ranged from 0.26 per 100 000 population in Nigeria in 2007 to 13 per 100 000 population in South Africa in 2003. 43 , 24 The death rate among motorized four-wheeler occupants was lowest in Nigeria in 2007 and highest in South Africa in 1999 at 0.74 and 63 per 100 000 population, respectively. 43 , 25 A 2007 study from Cameroon reported the lowest road traffic death rate for motorized two–three wheeler occupants and cyclists and a 2012 study from the United Republic of Tanzania reported the highest, at 0.12 and 3.12 per 100 000 population, respectively.…”

“… 43 , 24 The death rate among motorized four-wheeler occupants was lowest in Nigeria in 2007 and highest in South Africa in 1999 at 0.74 and 63 per 100 000 population, respectively. 43 , 25 A 2007 study from Cameroon reported the lowest road traffic death rate for motorized two–three wheeler occupants and cyclists and a 2012 study from the United Republic of Tanzania reported the highest, at 0.12 and 3.12 per 100 000 population, respectively. 8 , 13 The pooled rates showed that motorized four-wheeler occupants had the highest road traffic death rate, closely followed by pedestrians.…”

Technical Determinant of Road Accident: A Systematic Review

“…Similarly, a study conducted in Hong Kong reported that accident has mostly occurred at the bottleneck roads as road conflict increases due to the decrement of average lane width [34]. Finally, in Nigeria, it was reported that accident is more likely to occur due to the absence of road shoulder [35]. In addition, broken down vehicles have been reported to impede the traffic flow because the drivers were unable to move their car on the road shoulder, thus leading to the increased cases of crash risk at the country [35].…”

“…Finally, in Nigeria, it was reported that accident is more likely to occur due to the absence of road shoulder [35]. In addition, broken down vehicles have been reported to impede the traffic flow because the drivers were unable to move their car on the road shoulder, thus leading to the increased cases of crash risk at the country [35].…”