Contributing Factors to road Traffic Accidents in Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria

Abstract

Road traffic crashes remain a major public-safety, public-health and socioeconomic problem in Nigeria. This study examines the contributing factors associated with road traffic crashes on major roads in Awka, Anambra State. The study combined questionnaire responses from road users and commercial drivers, physical observation of selected road sections, an engineering assessment using the California Bearing Ratio (CBR) test, and documentary crash records obtained from the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC). The questionnaire evidence identified reckless and dangerous driving as the most prominent human factor (41.9%), followed by speeding (13.0%) and wrongful overtaking (6.7%). Vehicle-related responses highlighted tyre burst/pull-out (26.0%) and brake failure (21.0%), while bad roads and potholes were the leading physical-environment concern (33.0%). The compiled FRSC records also show that speed violation (502 cases), loss of control (411) and dangerous driving (243) were prominent recorded causes. Buses had the largest number of recorded vehicle involvements (895), followed by cars (759) and motorcycles/tricycles (597). Recorded crashes were concentrated in the daytime, especially between 12:00 noon and 6:00 p.m. Overall, the evidence indicates that road crashes in Awka arise from interactions among driver behaviour, vehicle condition, road engineering, traffic demand and environmental conditions. The study recommends targeted speed management, stronger enforcement, regular vehicle inspection, driver retraining, road rehabilitation, safer junction design, improved traffic control and systematic crash-data management.