ABSTRACT
The study is on information provision for reduction of road traffic accidents: a survey of public enlightenment unit of the Federal Road Safety Corps in Abia State, with the purpose of examining the information provision activities of the public enlightenment unit of the FRSC for reduction of road traffic accidents in Abia state. Seven research questions that guided the research were developed by the researcher. The study was a descriptive survey and area of study is Abia State. A snowball technique was used to draft the sample size of 316 from the total population of 580 respondents. The instrument used for data collection was structured questionnaire developed by the researcher. The instrument was validated by three validates and Cronbach-alpha was used to established the reliability and the coefficient of 0.204 was obtained. Mean and standard deviation was used to answer the research questions. The finding from the study reveals that road users require information on basic rules of the road, safety guideline and for enforcement of law. The type of information provided to road users by the public enlightenment of the FRSC for reduction of road accidents in Abia State are information on vehicle maintenance, special and safe driving. The type of information sources used for information provision to road users by the Public enlightenment Unit of FRSC are both print and non print information sources yet most road users are not interested to be directed on the right thing to do while on the road becomes the major challenge to the provision of information for reduction of road accidents in Abia State.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Cover page
Title page i
Declaration ii
Certification iii
Dedication iv
Acknowledgement v
Table of Contents vi
List of Tables ix
Abstract x
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1
11. Background of the Study 1
1.2. Statement of the Problem 10
1.3. Purpose of the Study 11
1.4. Research Questions 12
1.5. Significance of the Study 12
1.6. Scope of the Study 14
CHAPTER 2: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE 15
2.1. Conceptual Framework 15
2.1.1.
Concept of information 16
2.1.2.
Concept information provision 17
2.1.3.
Concept of road users 18
2.1.4.
Information need of road users 22
2.1.5.
Public enlightenment 24
2.1.6.
Overview of road traffic accident 26
2.1.7.
Challenges associated with provision of information for the control
of road accidents. 37
2.1.8.
Ways of reducing road accidents by the public enlightenment unit
of the FRSC. 38
2.2 Review of Empirical Studies. 40
2.3 Summary of Literature Review. 43
CHAPTER
3: METHODOLOGY 44
3.1.
Research Design 44
3.2.
Area of Study 44
3.3.
Population of the Study 45
3.4.
Sample and Sampling Techniques 46
3.5.
Instrument for Data Collection 46
3.6.
Validation of Instrument 47
3.7.
Reliability of the Instrument 48
3.8.
Method of data Collection 48
3.9.
Method of data Analysis 49
CHAPTER 4: DATA
PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION 50
4.1
Data Presentation 50
4.2 Summary Findings 63
4.3 Discussion of
Findings 65
4.3.1
The types of information required by road users for reduction of
road accidents 65
4.3.2
The types of information provided to road users by the public
enlightenment unit of the FRSC for reduction of road
accidents 66
4.3.3 The types of
information sources and channels used for information
provision
to road users by the Public Enlightenment Unit of FRSC
for
reduction of road accidents 67
4.3.4 The extent
public enlightenment unit of the FRSC has reduced
road accidents in Abia State 68
4.3.5 The
challenges associated with information provision for reduction
of
road accidents in Abia State 69
4.3.6
The possible ways for enhancing information provision for reduction
of
road accidents 69
CHAPTER 5:
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION 71
5.1 Summary of the
Study 71
5.2
Conclusion 72
5.3
Implication of Findings 74
5.4
Recommendations 74
5.5
Limitation of the Study 75
5.6
Suggestion for Further Study 76
REFERENCES 77
APPENDICES 85
LIST OF TABLES
4.1: Response Rate 50
4.2: Type of Information Required by Road Users
for Reduction of
Road Accident in
Abia State (n=288) 51
4.3: Type of Information Provided to Road User
by the Public Enlightenment
Unit of the FRSC
for Reduction of Road Accidents (n=288) 53
4.4: The Type of Information Sources and
Channels used for Information
Provision to Road
Users by Public Enlightenment Unit of FRSC
for reduction Road
Accidents (n=288) 55
4.5: The Extent Public Enlightenment Unit of
FRSC has reduced
Road Accidents:
(n=288) 57
4.6 Challenges Associated with Information
Provision for Reduction of Road
Accidents: (n=288) 59
4.7 The Possible ways for Enhancing
Information Provision for Reduction
of Road Accidents: (n=288) 62
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
The growing number of deaths and
injuries as a result of road traffic accident is a global phenomenon that all
countries of the world are grappling with, which has led to the search of
information for the reduction of this road traffic accidents. It is essential
for all road users such as drivers, passengers and pedestrians to have good
road safety knowledge by having access to the information for reduction of road
traffic accidents, as this has been shown to influence driving behaviours and
practices.
Information is a powerful tool for
both human beings and animals for their existence in this planet earth.
Starting from the time of birth to the time of death, information has been a
tool necessary for man’s survival. The word information was derived from a
Latin word “information” meaning to instruct or teach. According to Hornby
(2000) information is the fact or detail about somebody or something.
Information could be used to save life, for planning and decision making,
examination and promotion purposes.
Obodoeze (2004), states that
information is used to describe mankind accumulated knowledge derived from all
subjects in all form and all sources that could help its user to reduce their
level of uncertainty. While Ezinnia (2004) sees information as data structured
or processed to be valued in planning and decision making for the execution,
monitoring and evaluation of public and private sector programmes of any
nation. For information to be successful, the following principles according to
Ndagana (2000) must be observed:
Information is also defined by Chimah
and Nwokocha (2013) as the result of processing, manipulation and organizing
data in a way that adds to the knowledge of the receiver, while Magaji (2017)
sees information as an important resource to individuals and organisations. Bergdahl (1989) also opines that information
has become a precious gift, because it is the resolution to uncertainty which
deals with data and knowledge that answer the question of uncertainty. Information
about the road safety is of great importance to drivers, riders (bicycle,
motorcycle and tricycle riders), passengers and pedestrians for reduction of
road traffic accidents, lives and property safety.
Information provision according to
Obodoeze (2004), is the process within which information is provided to users
or user community without any individualization of the content or purpose –
specialization of the information or the delivery process.
Information provision as regard to
road accidents is the provision of fact or details about road accidents and its
prevention which are readily available in FRSC handbook, manuals, yearly report
CD’s and flyers in all the public enlightenment units of the Federal Road Safety Corps commands, (FRSC,
2016). Information about road safety should be provided to road users
regardless of status and location at all time through workable channels to all
road users in Abia State. This
information is seriously needed by drivers, riders, passengers and pedestrians
both old and young who constantly make use of roads for their daily activities.
Road user comprises of different
people from different background with different state of mind and belief who
may be reckless and dangerous in driving without license,
excess speeding, driving under the influence of alcohol, faulty pedestrian
attitude such as crossing the road in a hurry without proper look on both sides
of the road, etc. Some road users may have be battling with one health
challenges or the other such as Vision, hearing, physical, psychological, mental
and environmental challenges (FRSC, 2014). This may directly or indirectly
affect the reaction of such road user on different categories of traffic
situations while on the road. Base on the observation about road users, FRSC
(2015) suggests that every driver should always see every other person on the
road as mad persons while he is the only normal person. Atubi (2009) is of the
opinion that road accidents are totally depended on driver’s vision towards the
object as well as traffic control and will reduce accident time if vision is
clear and accurate. These group of
people (drivers, riders passengers and pedestrians) need to know the
precautions to take to avoid road accidents on our roads, which can only be
possible when the safety rules and regulations through road safety education
are provided to road users, then they can partake actively in the fight against
road accident.
Information provision
according to Nwalo (2003) is the process through which information is supplied
to individuals that are in need of particular information either by
radio/television broadcasting, mailing, posting, face to face discussion or
giving direction to the information using catalogue card and other information
retrieval sources. Information also can be provided through seminar and
workshop, public enlightenment education which the public enlightenment unit of
the FRSC always carried out to provide important information to road users on
ways to reduce road traffic accidents in our societies.
In FRSC, road users always require
information that will help to save their lives and that of their passengers.
Information required by road users includes right to life, safe guide- line for
exposed road users, the motorist sharing the road with other road users’, basic
rule of the road and special driving situation (FRSC, 2016). Drivers also
require information to overcome over-confidence, speeding, lack of
concentration, tiredness, drinking, drugs, poor vehicle care and indiscriminate
parking which may lead to avoidable road accident if controlled, while
passengers require information to minimize distraction and I don’t care
attitude of most passengers which may lead to avoidable road accidents, as we
all know that road accident claims more passengers’ life than drivers, (FRSC
2014). Road users also require information on the safety guide-line for
pedestrians, motorcyclist, and bicycle riders so that they will know the right
path to take while walking and driving at a particular point as well as using
rider’s protection like helmet and seatbelt while driving. Information require
by road users according to Adrian (2006), includes basic rules of the road and
the use of traffic control signs, signals, road marking, overtaking, road
junction, walking, parking and using the road with other road users. FRSC
(1997) also adds that special driving situations are important information
required by road users which must be provided by the public Enlightenment unit
of the FRSC in all States including Abia State.
This information according to FRSC (2016) is provided
to road users through the production and circulation of high way code manual,
distribution of flyers, insisting on attending driving schools from recognized
driving schools before issuing driving license to drivers using channels like
radio/ television broadcast, operation catch them young, sound check exercise
and drivers manuals. Even regular patrol to identify and correct black sports
and road violators to reduce road traffic accident on our roads is one of the
channel through which the Public enlightenment unit of the FRSC provides
information to road users. Akpomera
(2011) reported that information for reduction of road accidents is provided
through the invention of traffic communication tools (such as; traffic signs,
road marking, and traffic signals) using radio
and television programmes.
Despite the effort of the Public
enlightenment unit of the FRSC in providing information for reducing road
traffic accidents, road users are still adamant about the information provided
by not using safety belt, road design and compliance to the
road safety rules and regulation, and the traffic mix on roads and other
factors which still contribute to the high rate of accidents in Abia State
which are reflective of economic austerity thereby using resources that would
have been used for other things to treat accident victims, ( Adrian,
2006). This means that information for reduction of road
traffic accident is provided to road users but the compliance by road user is
still low resulting to high rate of road traffic accidents in Nigeria and Abia
state in particular.
Krug ...etal (2000), states that road
traffic accident has been a major issue to both developed and developing
countries throughout the world. It has been observed that one of the major
concerns of any nation’s transport sector is how to curb road traffic accidents
in such countries. The growing number of deaths and injuries as a result of
road traffic accident is a global phenomenon that all countries of the world
are grappling with.
For more clarification, on this
research work, road as defined by Hornby (2000) is a hard surface built for
vehicles to travel on while Aderian (2006) sees road as a way between two
places especially one with a prepared surface where vehicles can use. He also
defines traffic as the vehicles that are on the road at a particular time,
while accident is an unpleasant event especially in a vehicle that happens
unexpectedly and causes injuries, damages and death. Therefore, road traffic
accident simply refers to any unpleasant events involving vehicles, tricycles
or bicycles on the road. ( Atubi, 2008).
One of the major concerns of any
nation’s transport sector is how to curb road traffic accidents in such
countries. In the recent time, road traffic accidents due to recklessness and
other aggressive behaviours of drivers has led to accidents as confirmed by
Rodrigue and Notteboom (2009), in their statement that once an accident is
initiated, injuries and damages of various degrees of severity are sustained on
the infrastructure, vehicles, drivers and passengers.
It is important to note that Nigeria
is a high risk region with average of 32 traffic death per 1000 people (Filani
and Gbadamosi, 2007). This is very high compared with the United States of
America which is 1.6 traffic deaths per 1000 population, while United Kingdom
is 1.4 deaths per 1000 population, (Trinca, 1988). In terms of traffic safety,
there is an average of 320 accidents per 10,000 vehicles in Nigeria. This is
far in excess for United State of America’s accident rate of 2.7 per 10,000
vehicles and United Kingdom’s accident rate of 3.2 per 10,000 vehicles, (
Obinna, 2007). Road accidents started in Nigeria at Lagos and ever since then
it has been a public health concern based on the number and magnitude of persons
killed and injured.
According to World Health
Organization (WHO, 2012), road traffic accidents and death are global diseases
sweeping through the world gradually. As a result of constant increase in the
case of road accident and loss of human lives and properties, Chidoka (2009)
suggests that the idea of mobile court is to facilitate the trial of road
traffic offenders thereby ensuring discipline on the highways, because drivers
and non compliance with speed limits has been the major cause of most road accidents
in our country, (Wang, 2012).
The rate of accidents in Abia State
shows about 86 cases of accidents where 41 people were killed while about 292
were injured annually in 2014 resulting to 333 cases. It has also been observed
that Enugu-Portharcourt express way has been the highest number of accidents
followed by Aba-Umuahia, then Aba-Ikot Ikpene roads, (FRSC, 2014 and 2015). The
level of compliance with the basic road rules and regulations among drivers,
motorcyclist, tricycles (keke) riders and bicycle riders and pedestrians will
as well reduce the level of cases of road traffic accidents in Abia State. FRSC
(2017), also reported that the major cases of road accidents in Abia State
between 2016-2017 were speed violation (SPV), lost of control (LOC) and slight
light violation (SLV), while cars has the highest number that was involved in
accidents which mostly occur between 12pm-6pm.
1.1.2 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF FEDERAL ROAD SAFETY
CORPS
ABIA STATE
The federal Road
Safety Corps Abia State (FRSC) is a Government Agency with the vision to
eradicate Road Traffic accidents and create safe monitoring environment in
Nigeria. FRSC was established in February 1988 with Decree No. 45 as was
amended by Decree 35 of 1992 which was eventually re-enacted as Federal Road
Safety Corps (establishment) Act 2007. The Corps were saddled with the
statutory functions of preventing or maintaining accidents on highways,
clearing obstructions on any part of the highway, educating drivers, motorists
and other members of the general public on the proper use of highway, designing
and producing the drivers license to be used by various categories of vehicle
operators and determining from time to time the requirements to be satisfied by
an applicant for driver’s license.
FRSC is also
responsible for the designing and producing of vehicle number plates,
standardization of the highway traffic codes, giving prompt attention and care
to victims of road traffic accidents, conducting researches into causes of
motor accidents and methods of preventing them and putting into use the result
of such researches, determining and enforcing speed limits for all categories
of roads and vehicles, and controlling the use of limiting devices,
co-operating with bodies or agencies or groups engaged in road safety
activities for the prevention of accidents on highways, producing roadside and
mobile clinic for the treatment of accident victims free of charge, regular use
of seat belt and other safety devices and regulating the use of mobile phones
by motorist (FRSC, 2007).
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC)
Abia State Command is a branch of the FRSC Nigeria with the Head office at
Abuja. The establishment of FRSC in Abia State came as a result of the mandate
given to the FRSC Nigeria to establish its branches in all the States in the
country which must be loyal to the head quarter at Abuja. As a result of this
mandate, Abia State FRSC was established along side with other states in the
country. In Abia State, FRSC is located at No 57 Asaba Street, behind the
General Sani Abacha Recreation Park Amuzukwu, in Umuahia. Abia State Road
Safety Command also has branches at both Aba and Ohafia all in Abia State. The
command is also mandated to adhere strictly to the FRSC (Establishment) Act 2007
and report all the activities of the command to the head quarter, (Adamu,
2002).
In order to achieve the vision of
zero tolerance for road traffic accidents of the FRSC Nigeria, the command
regulates, enforces and co-ordinates all Road Traffic and Safety Management
activities in Abia State through the following means:
·
Sustained public enlightenment
·
Promotion of stack holders’ cooperation
·
Robust data management
·
Improved motor vehicle administration
·
Prompt rescue services
·
Effective patrol operation.
The Federal Road Safety Corps in Abia
State and other states of the country is mandated to create a safer monitoring
environment through the compliance with the FRSC (Establishment) Act 2007,
other traffic laws and quality management system standard with a view to
continually improving its mode of operation which includes frequent night
patrol by the FRSC staffs (FRSC, 2009).
The public Enlightenment unit is a
unit under the policy, Research and Statistics (PRS) department, which provides
information to Federal Road Safety Staff and other people that may be
undergoing a research on FRSC. In agreement to the above statement (Dike,
2010), said that special libraries are set up to serve the information need of
its parent body. The information resource available in this unit includes textbook, FRSC manuals, conference journals,
calendars, newspapers and non-print materials such as CDs, flash and computers
which carry information about the deeds and done of the FRSC in Abia State.
The functions of the Public Enlightenment
/ library Unit of the FRSC in Abia State is to collect, process, preserve and
provide information to support the services of the FRSC in reduction of road
traffic accidents in the state and as well provide information for the
specialised users who may be conducting research on road traffic accidents and
its reduction. They also provide in-depth and comprehensive services to their
users through selective Dissemination of Information (SDI) and current
awareness Services (CAS).
Information provided by the FRSC can
save lives and properties and as well put lives and properties in danger when
received wrongly or lacking. Therefore if the public enlightenment unit of the
FRSC will be able to provide the right information regarding to accidents
reduction and road safety to all road users on daily bases through good
workable channels like radio and television daily network news broadcast,
sending bulk short messages through network providers like MTN, Airtel,
Etisalat, etc road traffic accident will be reduced.
Despite the problems of power
failure, network problems in Nigeria, and road users always on transit, road
users need to contribute their own quota to ensure that road safety guide is
maintained, if all road users do their own part on road safety by obeying the
traffic rules by attending driving school before driving, avoiding distraction
from cell phone, passengers and CDs, never drink and drive, maintain speed
limit, remove obstructions from the road, while FRSC officers join in
implementing the road safety laws without fear or favourism, I think road
traffic accident will be reduced to a minimal.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Information provided by the FRSC
through radio and television broadcast goes a long way to direct and teach road
users on the right thing to do while on the road and in danger, plan for the
day and as well save lives of drivers, passengers and pedestrians. Whenever
accident is prevented, economy is increased by 1%, health regained and life
span expanded. FRSC (2016) also states that where there is no public
enlightenment in FRSC, road users are at risk because they may not be away of
dangers on the road especially where there are black and plan sports, blocking
of the road by vehicles and road diversion, thereby putting lives and
properties in danger.
Presently, the rate of road accidents
in Abia State is alarming; it is a daily affair among commercial and private
motorists and tricyclists which often result to major or minor injuries. No
matter the type of accident that occurred, there must be damages, waste of
resources and lost of lives in some cases (chikodoka, 2009). The pathetic
feelings of people involved in road accidents in our roads motivated the
researcher to see how accidents can be reduced in Abia State through information
provision.
Information for reduction of road
traffic accidents in Abia State is very important for the safety of lives and
properties in the state. Information on reduction of road traffic accidents
will make road users both drivers, passenger and pedestrians master of the road even in the mist of the
lapidated roads they will know what do so as to prevent the avoidable accidents
because knowledge is power. From my research work, it was observed that most researchers
have only touched the accidents and safety management, the commonest period
accidents occurs, and compliance to the basic road traffic regulation but
little or nothing has been written on information provision for reduction of
road traffic accident, channels through which this information is provided by
the Public Enlightenment unit of the
FRSC and the activities of the public Enlightenment units of the FRSC
for reduction of road traffic accidents,
which the researcher tend to cover in this research work.
1.3
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The
main purpose of the study is to examine the information provision activities of
the Public enlightenment unit of the FRSC in the reduction of road traffic
accidents in Abia State. The specific objectives of the study include to;
1.
identify the type of information require by road users for reduction of road accidents;
2. identify the type of information
provided for road users by the public enlightenment unit of the FRSC;
3. identify the type of information
sources and channels used for provision of information by the public
enlightenment unit of the FRSC;
4. determine the extent to which
information provision has reduced the level of road accident in Abia State;
5. find out challenges associated
with information provision to road uses in the reduction of road accidents in
Abia State; and
6. proffer solution to challenges
associated with information provision in reduction of road accidents in Abia
State.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The study is set to provide answers
to the following questions.
1. What are the types of information
required by road users for reduction of road accidents?
2. What are the types of information
provided for road users by the public enlightenment unit of the FRSC?
3. What are the types of information
sources and channels used for information provision by the public enlightenment
unit of the FRSC for reduction of road accidents in Abia State?
4. To what extent has information
provision by the public enlightenment of the FRSC
reduced road accidents in Abia State?
5. What are the
challenges associated with information provision for reduction of accidents in
Abia State?
6.
Ways of enhancing information provision by the public enlightenment unit of the
FRSC for reduction of road accident?
1.5
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This research work will be beneficial
to all road users, which comprises drivers of all kind of cars; commercial and
privates, tricycle riders, motorcycle riders, bicycle riders, passengers and
pedestrians. FRSC, Government, private organizations, religious bodies and
institutions will as well benefit from this study. Road users will be exposed
to the essence of compliance to road safety regulations for the purpose of lives
and properties while on the road.
Drivers will be made to know the
importance of information about their route before embarking on a journey as
this will expose them to information about the black sports, road diversion,
speeds control and the kind of food to take before embarking on a long journey.
Drivers will know the driving skills to apply when on a bad road to avoid
causing accident. This research work will always give drivers the boldness to
face FRSC officials rather than dodging them whenever they are on road patrol
because the driver knows the road rules and has the road safety requirements as
a driver in his car.
Passengers will be made to understand
that they can contribute immensely towards the reduction of road traffic
accidents by advising the driver on what to do when trapped on a traffic holdup
without causing accidents and lost of lives and properties only when the
passenger is conversant with the road traffic rules and regulation. This study
will also help passengers to be mindful of their attitude, conversation
and reaction towards the driver while
on steering to avoid distracting the driver and as well avoid accident (De Boer, etal 2015).
This research work will also educate
pedestrians on the dangers of not using the walkways, pedestrian’s crossing,
walking in a group and in dark to avoid being
knocked down by a vehicle, while
tricycles (keke), motorcycles and bicycles riders will be guided on the right path
and precautions to take when riding on a high way.
The FRSC will specially benefit from
this research by knowing the new methods and techniques to embark on, so as to
ensure that information provided to road users will yield positive result in
road accident reduction. All the stakeholders such as Government establishment,
private organizations, institution and religious bodies will be aware of the
importance of compliance to the road safety rules for the benefit of the nation
as a whole. The findings of this study will as well help religious bodies and
institutions to understand the importance of information provision for
reduction of road traffic accident by analyzing the effect of accident in our
country because road traffic accident in Africa is expected to rapidly increase
over the next four decades to become a major public health challenges across
the continent if nothing is done about it (Eshbaugh et al, 2012). This finding
will portray how 42 million road traffic deaths would be prevented, 144 million
years of productive healthy life saved and $234 billion would be added to the
continental GDP by 2050 through the information and services provided by the
public enlightenment unit of the FRSC Abia State (Johnson, 2010).
In this study, better methods of
management, enforcement of road traffic rules and speed check will be suggested
to enhance reduction of road traffic accident for the benefit of Government and
all road traffic enforcement agencies especially the FRSC. Finally, this study
will enable the Government to develop policies and strategies to reduce road
traffic accidents in the country for the overall goals of the country’s
development.
1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The scope of this work will be
limited to information provision for reduction of road traffic accidents: a
survey of the Federal Road Safety Corps public enlightenment unit in Abia
State. The study will examine the type of information required and provided to
road users by the public enlightenment unit of the FRSC, and the channels
through which this information is provided to road users to ensure reduction of
road traffic accidents in Abia State. Geographically, the study is limited to
the public enlightenment unit of the FRSC in Abia State and three other
selected registered parks within the state.
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