Examining the relationship between transportation mode and the experience of road traffic accident in the upper west region of Ghana

Abstract

The recent alarming rates of morbidity and mortality associated with road traffic accidents (RTAs) is a major global public health concern. The United Nations Organization has recognized the enormity of this problem and specified target 6 of the Sustainable Development Goal 3 that aims to halve injuries and deaths from RTAs by the end of 2020. Current accident trends in many low- and middle-income countries, however, pose a significant challenge to the attainment of this all important target. This could be informed by how accident prevention strategies overlook prevailing local traveling choices. The present study examines different modes of daily travels in northern Ghana and the experience of accidents. Logistic regression models were fitted to a cross-sectional data sample of 741 individual surveys conducted in three districts in the Upper West Region (UWR) of Ghana. Findings show that respondents who reported using motorcycle/tricycle as their common mode of transportation were more likely (AOR = 2.6, CI = 1.32,5.19) to experience accident compared with their car user counterparts. Also, participants were more likely (AOR = 1.17, CI = 1.03,1.32) to report experiencing an accident if their knowledge of speed limits was poor while high road safety perceptions was associated with lower likelihood (AOR = 0.95, CI = 0.91,1.00) of experiencing an accident. Although car accident is the most common form of RTAs in Ghana, the results of this study show that motorcycle/tricycle accident is common in the UWR. It is therefore important for accident prevention strategies to recognize contextual differences and nuances that inform transport choices and the associated risk of accidents.