Understanding Why Motorcycle Riders Do Not Comply with Traffic Control Signals in the WA Municipality in Ghana

Paul Kitson Baffour Asamoah ,Nicholas Kombonaah ,Eric Appiah Atiemo

doi:10.7176/rhss/9-14-17

Abstract

The study was conducted in the Wa Municipality to investigate the reasons why motorcycle do not comply with traffic control signals. Though traffic control signals exist to regulate the movement of motorists in the municipality, they are violated by motorists especially by motor and tricycle riders. It is therefore a worrisome phenomenon, thus becoming an increasing concern among the law enforcement agencies. This is particularly so due to the increasing motorization in the Municipality. Therefore, in finding reasons for this incidence, the study sought to achieve the following objectives; the causes of motorists’ disobedience towards traffic control signals; the roles of road safety stakeholders in enforcing traffic control signals compliance and the challenges in enforcing traffic signal compliance. The study was informed by two theories namely; the Theory of Planned Behaviours (TPB) and Normative Social Influence Theory (NSIT). Also, the study was conducted using qualitative approaches to source, process and analyse data. As a result, the data was collected using Focus Group Discussions (FGD) approach to solicit information from both motor and tricycle riders. Interview Guides were additionally used to gather data from the heads of the stakeholder institutions and that of the various Tricycle Riders Associations concerned in this study. Subsequently, the data collected was analysed using thematic and Leximancer analysis approaches. However, the major findings from the study were that, traffic noncompliance by motorcycle riders is caused by the attitudes and behaviours of the motor riders though some of the respondents held a divergent view, with the popular saying that, “traffic do not catch natives” and that is why they violate road traffic signals, but upon further analysis, it came to light that, it is attitudinal. Also, the study reveals that, there is little or no enforcement of road traffic signs or laws. Those who commit these acts are not arrested and punished by the law enforcement agencies. Furthermore, it was interesting to find out that, most of the motorcycle riders, particularly the tricycle riders are ignorant about road traffic signs, and therefore the study recommends a proactive public education and sensitization on the awareness of traffic control signals as well as ensuring effective enforcement of the road traffic laws in the Municipality Key words: motorcycle, control signals, disobedience, controlled intersections, law enforcement DOI : 10.7176/RHSS/9-14-17 Publication date :July 31 st 2019

Highlights

This growing problem of motorist disregard for traffic control signals (TCSs) has become a major concern across the world (Susilo Lui & Börjesson, 2015)
Most of them dropped-out of school at the basic level and others too had never been to school, as a result they are unformed about road traffic laws and their implications
Most of the participants during the focus group discussions indicated that they had dropped-out of school at the basic level to take up the tricycle businesses so as to earn a living

Summary

Introduction

This growing problem of motorist disregard for traffic control signals (TCSs) has become a major concern across the world (Susilo Lui & Börjesson, 2015). In the spate of this increasing concern about road traffic non-compliance by motorist, it is only partially understood in developing countries like Ghana Most of these problems which comes about as a result of road traffic violations are accidents but no studies have been done into details to unearth the reasons why motorist violates road traffic signs especially in the urban centres. Though the increasing growth in the number of motorcycles has come to solve the mobility needs of many urban residents in the light www.iiste.org of poor and inadequate public transport system This has come with its accompanying challenges such as non-compliance with road traffic regulations by motorist. Little is known about the characteristics of red-light runners and the circumstances which may prompt them to run a red light

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Conclusion