Characteristics of Pedestrian Accidents on Trunk Roads in Ghana

Type Journal Article - International Refereed Journal of Engineering and Science (IRJES)
Title Characteristics of Pedestrian Accidents on Trunk Roads in Ghana
Author(s)
Volume 2
Issue 5
Publication (Day/Month/Year) 2013
Page numbers 46-54
URL http://irjes.com/Papers/vol2-issue5/Version 2/H254654.pdf
Abstract
Annually, pedestrian accidents account for over forty percent (40%) of all road traffic accidents whilst trunk roads record two-thirds of all road traffic fatalities. Whilst the unpredictability nature of accidents is well documented, diagnostic tools require to establish causality and to inform intervention strategies have been many but with varied successes. Over the years, accident statistics have shown no discernible pattern in improvement levels even with so much efforts and pedestrians continue to bear the brunt of the inefficiencies on the trunk road environment. This study employed descriptive analysis to identify potential pedestrian accident causal factors from key attributes of the road transport system. A 5-year accident data, i.e. from 2006 to 2010, on a trunk road length totalling 13,263km, was processed using the Microcomputer Accident Analysis Package (MAAP) 5 software. The analysis of the national and regional data sets resulted in a variety of distinct risk factors obtained for different regions in the study area. This rudimentary method of accident investigation identified the unique characteristics of potential and possible risk factors of pedestrian accidents in different socio-economic environments. It has also reinforced the need for proper accident problem contextualization and data representation using more sophisticated methods for accident investigation.

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