Factors Associated with High Levels of Accidents Essay Example

and age difference are to risks of accidents, suggesting interventions into sensitization as well as helping boda boda riders to acquire their own boda bodas. Key words: Motorcyclist demographics, ownership, risk of accidents, and logistic model.

Literature When Cities develop, traffic also develop hand-in-hand the same forces that draw inhabitants to assemble in large urban areas also lead to sometimes intolerable levels of traffic congestion on urban streets. TRC, 2007) For Uganda's case, the opulation of Kampala has been on the increase from 2,850 in 1912, 24,100 in 1948 to 458,503 by 1980, 774,241 1991 and in 2002 at average annual growth rates ranging from 3. 14% to 5. 61% (UBOS, 2002).

This population increase has given birth to the current crisis of transport management that is believed to not only delay activities with the city but also pose risk of death to many lives thereby destroying humanity (Wegener 2001; Lwasa 2002). One of Uganda's common means of transport is the motorcycle taxi (boda boda) which provides quick flexible and an inexpensive way to travelers of the low income tatus.

According to Malmberg (1994), Boda boda services are known to have originated from Busia County of Tororo District in Eastern Uganda in the mid-1960s during the time of rampant black market and smuggling along the Uganda Kenya boarder. Boda bodas then were used to ease the smuggling from boarder to boarder hence the name boda boda. reports from police, has remained a big puzzle to the concerned authorities.

While Kisaalita and Sentongo (2007) viewed the development of motorcycle taxi (boda-boda) service as a spontaneous entrepreneurial response, parallel to that is their safety concern.

In this

study we will focus on motorcycles (boda boda) since they are the commonly used means of low capacity transport in Kampala by mainly the low income group (those who do not own cars). According to Howe (2005), Boda bodas have had a tremendous advantage over other means of transport because of their flexibility, cost effectiveness, and ability to sail through small and poor routes all of which characterize the nature of developing countries specifically Kampala.

His findings further revealed that in congested conditions, the motorcycles are most valued for their ability to weave through the raffic, shorten door-to-door Journey times and are used by middle income earners when 'in a hurry. It is evident that boda boda services fulfill important economic and social functions, yet little is known about hindrances to their operations that is believed to nave causal effect on accidents.

A study carried out by Sida (2006), indicated efficient and affordable transport benefits the poor and will contribute to economic growth, since it is a prerequisite for industry and business development hence transportation directly affects the economic efficiency of cities and the well-being of their inhabitants.

Literature has also highlighted clear differences in the ownership patterns of bicycle and motorcycle boda boda. Howe (2005) revealed that most (71%) bicycle boda boda are operated by the owner, compared to 44% of motorcycles.

Correspondingly, hiring of bicycles for operation comprises about 16% of the total, but 56% of motorcycles. This suggests that motorcycle hire is a profitable business that is entered into by people who are already engaged in other economic activities however, the effect this status on risks to accidents was not handled in

the study. In a similar study conducted by Lardelli-Claret et al.

(2005), found that driver experience, as one of the significant factors measuring risk of two wheeled vehicle accidents. This was in agreement with several studies, Haworth (1997), and Lin, et al. 2003) however; Mullin, Jackson and Langley et al. (2000) found no association.

Problem statement According to the Traffic commissioner, Kasiima (2008), "boda boda (motorcyclists) account for over 70% of all major fatal road accidents. " Empirical research into this area is inadequate and little is known about the factors associated with motorcyclists' increased risk to accidents. Kagolo and Kariuki (2008), have reported that "the orthopedic centre at Mulago hospital which has the capacity of 40 beds is always full" with most of the victims from boda boda accidents in the city and its suburbs.