Motorcyclist characteristics and traffic behaviour in urban Northern Ghana: Implications for road traffic accidents

This study examines how motorcyclist characteristics influence their road traffic behaviour and its implications on road traffic accidents in Wa, a rapidly urbanizing city in North-western Ghana. The results reported in this study is based on data collected from multiple sources including randomly administered questionnaire to motorcyclists and stakeholder interviews with Officials of road traffic and safety institutions. Our results show that age, occupation and ownership of motorcycle were significantly associated with wearing-helmet. Again, age and alcohol use was found to have a significant relationship. The number of road traffic accidents and deaths were related to road traffic behaviour of motorcyclist. We argue that the trend is likely to continue and perhaps escalate unless an intensive and well coordinated road traffic education on safe traffic behaviour is adopted and efficiently implemented and complemented with strict law enforcement.