Determinants of Road Traffic Accident Among Commercial Drivers in Rivers State

Abstract

This study investigated the determinants of road traffic accidents among commercial drivers in Rivers State. Four research questions and hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. The cross-sectional survey design was adopted for the study. The sample size included 400 hundred commercial drivers selected using a purposive and accidental sampling technique. Data was collected using a self-structured questionnaire with a reliability coefficient of 0.72. Data were analysed using percentages, mean, standard deviation and ANOVA. The result showed that age and drug use were a significant predictor of road traffic accident among commercial drivers in Rivers State (df=2, F=5.867, p<.05) and (df=2, F=8.429, p<.05). The findings also showed that level of education and years of work experience was not a significant predictor of road traffic accident among commercial drivers in Rivers State (df=3, F=1.534, p>.05) and (df=2, F=0.449, p>.05). Based on the findings, it was concluded that drivers’ age and drug use significantly predict of road traffic accident whereas drivers’ level of education and years of work experience does not a significantly predict of road traffic accident among commercial drivers in Rivers State. It was recommended among others that there should be total enforcement of traffic rules and regulation to correct erring drivers and the Government and affected institutions should take the issue of road construction and maintenance more seriously.