33Visual acuity and knowledge of road safety measures among commercial motorcyclist in Nigeria’s metropolitan city

Abstract

Abstract Background Motorcycle crash is the second most common cause of road traffic injuries in Nigeria. The study aimed to assess the prevalence of visual disorder and the knowledge of road safety measures of commercial motorcyclist. Methods A cross-sectional study was carried out among motorcyclists in all five motorcycle parks in Ibadan. A total of 439 motorcyclists were interviewed through a simple random sampling technique. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. Results Age of the respondents was 34.4±7.8 years. Majority were males and 15.2% (n = 67) had tertiary education. Half of respondents 228 (51.9) had good knowledge of road safety measures. Only 26 (5.9%) had ever had their vision screened before. Majority of respondents 380 (86.6%) had good right vision (visual acuity ≥6/9). Respondent with tertiary education were significantly more likely to have good knowledge of road safety measures (p = <0.001). Respondent who had ever been involved in road crash were significantly more likely to have poor vision (p = 0.028). Motorcyclists who had complete training on motorcycle riding were three times more likely to have good knowledge of safety measures (OR = 2.8; 95% CI = 1.6-5.0). Conclusions Commercial motorcyclist’s good vision, education and training contributed to good knowledge of road safety measures. There is therefore the need to encourage proper medical examination before issuance of driver’s license, conduct training and create stringent laws to guide road safety. Key messages Commercial motorcyclists, knowledge, Road safety measure, Visual acuity