Journal of Technological Research. Vol.7 No. 2 pp 59-66 An Analysis of Motorcycle Traffic and Crashes in Nigeria – A case study of Minna, Nigeria. Morenikeji Wole, Department of Urban and Regional Planning, School of Environmental Technology, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Niger State, Nigeria. Abstract The study examined the traffic volume by mode and established the prominence of the motorcycle as the principal mode of commuting in the city of Minna. Data was sourced through traffic census carried out by the author in November 2011, records from the general Hospital and the Federal Road Safety Corps Office in Minna. The analysis revealed that motorcycle traffic is particularly heavy in neighbourhoods off the main arterial road which concentrates 50% of all vehicular traffic, 83% of taxicabs and 35% of car movements in the entire city. The heavy volume of motorcycle traffic is reflected in the number of motorcycle crashes and casualties. Between 2000 and 2011, a total of 1,295 motorcycle crashes were recorded with August to December of every year as the worst months thus lending credence to the popular belief that the “ember” months are months of misfortune in Nigeria. During the same period, 13,918 motorcycle crash induced injuries and 227 deaths were recorded. The mean number of injured victims rose astronomically from 519 in the four-year period of 2000 – 2003 to 2,356 between 2008 – 2011. The study also revealed that behavioral factors such as dangerous driving, speed and route violation and driving under the influence of alcohol accounted for 75% of all the crashes. Keywords: Motorcycle, traffic, crashes, casualties, accident factors Email: [email protected]Received: 2012/01/02 Accepted: Introduction The increasing use of motorcycles not only as a means of personal mobility but also for commercial transportation in both urban and rural areas of Nigeria has worsened the intra-urban road traffic accident records in the cities. This has been attributed to the riding habits of the motorcyclists by Ogunjumo (2008) who stated that the motorcycle operators are not known to obey traffic regulations and road signs and operate on the intra-city roads with abandonment and lack of due regard for their own safety and behave as if they have spare parts for their bodies or as if they have several lives to draw on in case the present ones terminate. Several reasons have been advanced for the preponderance of motorcycles on urban roads especially in Nigeria. These reasons range from “poverty rather than genuine response to demand (Ogunsanya and Galtima, 1993), “Settlement of political followers by donation of motorcycles to them by politicians (Ngim et. al., 2006), and gap between the demand and supply of vehicles accentuated during the period of “Structural Adjustment Programme” in the second half of the 1980s (Ogunjumo, 2008), among others. The resume of the majority of the operators as documented by
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Journal of Technological Research. Vol.7 No. 2 pp 59-66
An Analysis of Motorcycle Traffic and Crashes in Nigeria – A casestudy of Minna, Nigeria.Morenikeji Wole, Department of Urban and Regional Planning, School ofEnvironmental Technology, Federal University of Technology, Minna, NigerState, Nigeria.
Abstract The study examined the traffic volume by mode and established the prominence of the motorcycle as theprincipal mode of commuting in the city of Minna. Data was sourced through traffic census carried out by theauthor in November 2011, records from the general Hospital and the Federal Road Safety Corps Office in Minna.The analysis revealed that motorcycle traffic is particularly heavy in neighbourhoods off the main arterial roadwhich concentrates 50% of all vehicular traffic, 83% of taxicabs and 35% of car movements in the entire city. Theheavy volume of motorcycle traffic is reflected in the number of motorcycle crashes and casualties. Between 2000and 2011, a total of 1,295 motorcycle crashes were recorded with August to December of every year as the worstmonths thus lending credence to the popular belief that the “ember” months are months of misfortune inNigeria. During the same period, 13,918 motorcycle crash induced injuries and 227 deaths were recorded. Themean number of injured victims rose astronomically from 519 in the four-year period of 2000 – 2003 to 2,356between 2008 – 2011. The study also revealed that behavioral factors such as dangerous driving, speed androute violation and driving under the influence of alcohol accounted for 75% of all the crashes.
IntroductionThe increasing use ofmotorcycles not only as a meansof personal mobility but alsofor commercial transportationin both urban and rural areasof Nigeria has worsened theintra-urban road trafficaccident records in the cities.This has been attributed to theriding habits of themotorcyclists by Ogunjumo(2008) who stated that themotorcycle operators are notknown to obey trafficregulations and road signs andoperate on the intra-city roadswith abandonment and lack ofdue regard for their own safetyand behave as if they havespare parts for their bodies oras if they have several lives
to draw on in case the presentones terminate.Several reasons have beenadvanced for the preponderanceof motorcycles on urban roadsespecially in Nigeria. Thesereasons range from “povertyrather than genuine response todemand (Ogunsanya and Galtima,1993), “Settlement of politicalfollowers by donation ofmotorcycles to them bypoliticians (Ngim et. al., 2006),and gap between the demand andsupply of vehicles accentuatedduring the period of“Structural AdjustmentProgramme” in the second halfof the 1980s (Ogunjumo, 2008),among others.The resume of the majority ofthe operators as documented by
various researchers isfrightening. The operators areusually very young males withmean age ranging from 25 to 36years, illiterate to semi-literate, indulge in drug,ignorant of traffic codes, withno form of training on the useof motorcycles and are majorlyhirers of motorcycles forbusiness (Ojekunle, 1998;Amoran et. al. 2006; Alti-Muazuand Aliyu, 2008; Iribhogbe andOdai, 2009). Thesecharacteristics explain theirbehavior on the road, as aptlysummed up by Ogunjumo (2008),as follows:They have the habit of scaring otherroad users from their rights-of-way.These Okada operators areuncomfortably rude to car owners asthey rely on the strength of theirlarge numbers to coarse, eventerrorise, other road users intosubmission. The psychological make-upof the operators of this mode oftransportation (inferiority complex),it seems, is vented on other vehicleusers who are caught up in trafficcongestion on intra-city roads. Theyovertake the slow-moving vehicles onthe right and on the left withoutadequate warning. They claim theright-of-way where they have none.
The recklessness coupled withthe unenviable characteristicsof the riders - little or noeducation and ridingexperience, non-possession ofdriving license (Gbadamosi,2006; Ogunsanya and Galtima,1993; Oyesiku, 2001), use ofpsychoactive substance by theriders (Alti-Muazu and Aliyu2008) have often resulted infatal crashes responsible. Ina study of 51 cases ofmotorcycle accidents in Benin,
35 (68.6%)motorbikeriders/pillion seat passengerswere struck down by cars, seven(13.5%) were struck byarticulated vehicles andanother 7 bike riders/pillionseat passengers representing13.5% of cases were stuck bybuses (Nzegwu et. al. 2008). Astudy in Calabar by Ngim et. al(2006) also attributed 52.8% ofall limb injuries to motorcycleaccidents with the riders andpassengers as the victims.Alti-Muazu and Aliyu (2008) intheir study in Zaria observedthat high prevalence of 59.5%of road traffic accident thatwas associated with the use ofpsychoactive drugs was found
among the motorcyclists andthat commonly identifiedpsychoactive substance/drugsused were: marijuana (Indianhemp) 25.8%, solution 24.5%,caffeine (Kola) 15.8%, andcoffee 4.8%. Amoran et. al. (2006)on the other hand, in theirstudy of 299 motorcyclists inIgboora, Oyo State, found outthat only 70 (23.3%) couldrecognize more than half of thecurrently used road safetycodes and 47 (15.7%) obey theseroad safety codes more thanhalf of the time they see it.In their study of errors andviolations in relation tomotorcyclists’ crash risk,Özkan et. al. (2011) trafficerrors, control errors, speed
violations, performance ofstunts, and use of safetyequipment came out strongly asthe principal factors.Similarly, Moskal et. al. (2010),found that for both moped andmotorcycle riders, being male,not wearing a helmet, exceedingthe legal limit for alcohol andtravelling for leisure purposesincreased the risk of accidentinvolvement.While most of these studiesprovide useful information onthe characteristics of themotorcyclists, severity of thecrashes and factors associatedwith the crashes, there isstill the need to take aholistic approach of the wholeissue by looking at the wholeissues of proportion ofmotorcycle traffic, long termtrend of motorcycle crashes,riding behavior of themotorcyclists, causes ofmotorcycle accidents andidentification of the accidentblack spots in the geographicalarea of study. This study,therefore, aims at establishingthe significance of motorcycletraffic and accidents with aview to identifying motorcycleaccident black spots in Minna.To achieve this aim, the studyis designed to carry outmotorcycle traffic census andriding behaviour, perform atrend analysis of motorcycleaccidents, identify majorcauses of motorcycle accidentsand locate the motorcycleaccidents black spots in thecity
Materials and MethodsBoth primary and secondarysources of data gathering wereemployed for this study. Theprimary data came from:A comprehensive traffic censusconducted by a team of researchassistants in the city toestablish the volume andcomposition of vehiculartraffic in the city. The surveywas conducted on a typicalweekday (Wednesday) and atypical weekend day (Saturday)during a 7 hour-period (7.00a.m. – 10.00 a.m., 12.00 – 2.00p.m. and 4.00 p.m. – 6.00 p.m).The mean values of trafficcounts were then calculated. A second group of researchassistants stationed at 12major junctions who observedand recorded the signalingbehavior of motorcyclists asto whether they had thetrafficating lights on or notwhen making a turn at roadjunctions within a 15-minuteperiod to minimize doublecounting of motorcycles passingthrough the census spots. The secondary data on the otherhand was obtained essentiallyfrom record of motorcycleaccidents kept by the GeneralHospital and the Federal RoadSafety Corps Office both in
Minna town in Niger State ofNigeria. Methods of analysisinclude table and chartillustrations.ResultsMajor Motorcycle Routes inMinnaTotal traffic count during theseven hours traffic surveyconducted by the researchershowed a remarkablepreponderance of motorcycletraffic. Of the total trafficvolume of 37,177 vehicles,motorcycle accounted for 26,443
(71.1%) compared to 7,544(20.3%) cars, 2,071 (5.6%) taxicabs. Omnibus accounted for 384(1.0%), Bus 99 (0.3%) andtrucks and vans 569 (1.5%).From table 1, it can beobserved that the majormotorcycle routes in Minna areMobil – Keteren-Gwari, ObasanjoShopping Centre – Airport,Mobil – Kuta, BOMAS – Hospitaland CBN - David Mark Roundaboutroads. On these roads,motorcycle traffic accountedfor over 80% of the totaltraffic.
Table 1: Proportion of Traffic Volume (%) by Mode on Major Roads in MinnaRoute Bicyc
Two areas of concentration ofmotorcycle traffic arediscernible, that is, the areasaround Mobil (city centre) and
residential areas not wellserved by taxis and commercialbuses. The Maikunkele – Bosso –Mobil – Chanchaga Road is the
“Appian” road of the cityconcentrating greatest share ofeducational, commercial andbanking services thusexplaining why the route is themost heavily trafficked routeaccounting for over 36%(13,506) of the total vehiculartraffic volume and over 83%(1728) of taxicabs and 38%(2862) of private carsmovements.It is obvious that where thereis low taxi and public bustraffic, the “okada”
(commercial motorcycles) willfill the gap. This isillustrated in table 2.Taxicabs traffic was just 17%along the roads off the“appian” way compared tomotorcycle traffic which was68% whereas on the “appian” waywhere taxi traffic accountedfor 83%, motorcycle volumedropped to 32%. The data alsoreveal the low usage of bicycleas a means of personalmobility.
Table 2: Distribution of Vehicular Traffic on the Primary Arterial andOther Routes in MinnaRoute Bicycle Motorcycle Car Taxi Minibus Big bus Trucks and
VansTotal
Appian(Maikunkele- Chanchaga
19 (28%)
8508 (32%)
2862 (38%)
1728(83%)
140 (36%)
43 (43%)
206 (36%)
13506(36%)
Off MainRoute
48 (72%)
17935 (68%)
4682 (62%)
343(17%)
244 (64%)
56 (57%)
363 (64%)
23671(64%)
Total 67 26443 7544 2071 384 99 569 37177Source: Author’s analysis of data (2011)
Trends in Motorcycle Crashes inMinnaBetween 2000 and 2011, a totalof 1,295 motorcycle crasheswere reported as shown in table3. An upward annual trend isnoticed within the period understudy. With 84 crashes each
reported in 2000 and 2001, thefigure steadily rose to between114 and 165 per annum between2003 and 2008 and as atNovember 2011, 95 motorcycleaccidents had been recorded asshown in fig. 1.
Table 3: Trend in Motorcycle Accidents in Minna (2000 – 2011)Month 200
and peaking in December with amean value of 15 crashes.
Fig. 1: Total Annual Motorcyclecrashes in Minna
The “ember” months (September– December) syndrome isreflected in the crashes andcasualties figures as shown infig. 2. It is superstitiouslybelieved in Nigeria that mostmisfortunes including roadtraffic accidents occur mosttowards the end of the year.However, most studies haveattributed causes of automobileaccidents to human errors.Since this period usuallycoincide with public holidays
(Independence day and religiousfestivities, holiday travels)thus occasioning traffic rushand this coupled with adverseweather conditions (cessationof rainfall accompanied byheavy rains and thunderstorms,harmattan with attendantvisibility problems due to dusthaze and the biting cold),drivers and motorcyclist withfaulty or no navigational aidsare much more predisposed toaccidents.
Trend Analysis of Motorcycle-induced Road Traffic Injuries andDeathsTable 4 shows that there were13,918 motorcycle accidentinjuries and 227 deathsrecorded at the GeneralHospital between 2000 and 2011.The general trend in the data
revealed a phenomenal increasein the number of injuries anddeaths during the period. Whilethe mean number of injuredvictims was 519 in the fouryear period between 2000 and2003, the corresponding meanvalues for 2004 to 2007 and2008 - 2011 were 607 and 2356respectively.
Table 4:Summary of the total number of casualties (2000 -2011)2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008 2009
2010
2011
Total
Injured
465 491 518 602 483 679 721 545 900 2602
2614
3307
13,918
Death 11 13 24 27 27 18 19 20 21 23 5 19 227Source: Health records Department, General Hospital, Minna (2011)
The monthly trend also revealsa gradual increase incasualties from January throughto December but with a peak inJune for injuries and May fordeaths. Table 5: Monthly Motorcycle Casualties(2000 – 2011)
October 1285 18November 1024 20December 1075 17Total 13918 227
Source: Author’s analysis of data (2011
Fig. 3 gives a long term trendof accident and casualtiesindexed rates (2000 = 100). Ingeneral, all the data showincreasing trend (note that theDecember 2011 data was as atthe middle of the month).
Fig 3: Trend in motorcycle accidents andcasualties in Minna.
Causes of Motorcycle AccidentsA rapid 15 minute – survey ofsignaling behavior of themotorcyclists at major roadjunctions in Minna revealed adisproportionally high numbersof motorcyclists failing totrafficate while making turnsat the junctions. As shown infig. 4, 65% of 6,925motorcyclists observed failedto trafficate. This behavior isconstituting a danger to otherroad users and makes roadjunctions accidents spots. Thisis attested to by the number ofpieces of broken mirrors,trafficators, headlamps andwindscreens found at roadintersections and roundabouts(rotaries) by casual observerseveryday in the city.
Fig. 4: Pie Chart showing theproportion of Motorcyclists thatTrafficated at JunctionsSource: Authors analysis of dataA study of 212 cases from theFederal Road Safety Corpsrecords shows that behavioralfactors rather than mechanicalproblem and road condition isthe major cause of motorcycleaccidents in Minna. Suchbehaviors, as shown in table 6include dangerous driving,speed violation, routeviolation and driving under theinfluence of alcohol whichtogether account for 75% of allthe crashes investigated.
Table 6: Causes of Motorcyclecrashes in MinnaFactor Frequency %Driving under the influenceof alcohol
Source: Federal Road Safety Corp,Minna 2010.Motorcycle Accident Black Spotsin MinnaA study of 212 crash casesrevealed the most dangerousspots in the city are Chanchaga(Shango -Chanchaga - Suleja
Road), Maikunkele (Minna-Maikunkele -Kontagora Road),City Centre (MinnaCentral/Hospital/Old Airport,Minna old town) and Kpakungu(Kpakungu, Minna – Bida Road)where about 84% of allmotorcycle crashes occurred(Derived from table 7). Apartfrom the Minna City Centre,these roads are part of inter-city roads characterized bythrough traffic and made up ofhigher percentage of speedingcommercial and private cars
heading for destinationsoutside Minna (see fig. 5).This explains the higher rateof accidents involvingmotorcycles along these routes.The City – Centre (Mobil area),is reminiscent of other citycentres elsewhere characterizedwith the heaviest day-timevehicular and pedestriantraffic with attendant chaotictraffic situation. It ischaracterized by a mixture ofthrough and intra-city traffic.
Table 7: Location of Motorcycle Accidents in MinnaLocation Frequency Re-grouping Frequency %Bosso Road 11 Bosso 11 5.2Chanchaga 2
Chanchaga 57 26.9Minna-Suleja Road 50Shango 5David Mark 1 David Mark 1 0.5FRSC gate 3 PaikoRoad 5 2.4Paiko Road 2Minna-Kontagora road 23 Maikunkele 23 10.8Hospital Road 15
City centre 44 20.8Minna Central 17Minna Town 8Old Airport Road 4IBB Road 1 IBB road 1 0.5Kpakungu 20 Kpakungu 52 24.5Minna-Bida Road 32Minna – Gwada Road 8 Maitumbi 8 3.8NITECO Road 3 NITECO 3 1.4Shiroro Road 2 Shiroro 2 0.9Tunga 5 Tunga 5 2.4Total 212 212 100Source: Federal Road Safety Corps, Minna (2010) Fig. 5: Map of Minna showing RoadPattern
Source: Urban and regional PlanningDepartment, F.U.T. Minna (adapted)
Discussion SummaryThe heavy volume of motorcycletraffic on the roads in thecity (71% of total traffic)makes conflict with pedestriansand other vehicles inevitable.Motorcycle traffic was found tobe more concentrated (68%) onroutes off the busiest arterialroad (Maikunkele-Chanchaga)which has the highestconcentration of the taxi cabs(83%). Fatal motorcyclecrashes in the city haveresulted in 13,918 injuries and227 deaths between January 2000and mid December 2011. Analysisof fatality records shows thatthe months of August toDecember of every year are themost dangerous months in termsof motorcycle accidents asshown in table 5.A long term trend analysis alsoreveals that there is upwardtrend in motorcycle accidents,injuries and deaths as depictedin fig. 3. The study also showsthat the causes of theaccidents are principallybehavioral (75%) rather thanmechanical (table 6). The mostvisible deviant behavior of theriders pertains to signalingbehavior. The study found 65%of 6,925 motorcyclists observedfailing to trafficate whilemaking turns at junctions.Accident black spot areascoincide with roads carrythorough traffic (intercity
traffic) that is, City Centre(Mobil), Chanchaga, Kpakunguand Bosso-Maikunkele roadsaccounting for about 84% of allmotorcycle crashes (table 7)RecommendationsAs an important first step, theFederal Road Safety Corps(FRSC) should collaborate withthe Amalgamated CommercialMotorcycle Owners and RidersAssociation of Nigeria(ACOMORAN) to ensure thatbefore any commercialmotorcyclist is registered tooperate, possession of validdriving license is a condition.The two bodies should, inaddition, work together todiscourage the use ofpsychoactive substances amongthe “okada” riders, educatethem about traffic rules andensure that the motorcycles areroad worthy, that is, have fullcompliments of all navigationalaids (side mirrors andtrafficators).As the motorists do not oftensee the motorcyclists asequally having the right ofway, gradual replacement ofmotorcycles with tri-cycles(“keke NAPEP”) would be awelcome idea. The tricycle isas near imposing and visible ascars, carries more passengersper trip and not capable ofmaking dangerous manouvres. A short term solution is theprovision of viable,
sustainable and efficientpublic mass-transit busservices. A long-term solutionshould also not preclude theprovision of rail rapid transitin all state capitals and othermetropolitan cities in thecountry.ReferencesAdogu O. U. and Ilika A. L. (2006).Knowledge of and attitude towards roadtraffic codes among commercialmotorcycle riders in Anambra State.Niger. Postgrad Med J . vol. 13(4): pp. 297-300Alti-Muazu M. and Aliyu A.A. (2008).Prevalence of psychoactive substanceuse among commercial motorcyclists andits health and social consequences inZaria, Nigeria. Ann Afr Med . Vol. 7(2);pp. 67-71Amoran O. E., Eme O., Giwa O.A. andGbolahan O.B. (2006). Road safetypractices among commercialmotorcyclists in a rural town inNigeria: implications for healtheducation. Int Q Community Health Educ. Vol.24(1); pp.55-64.Gbadamosi, K. T. (2006). “TheEmergence of Motorcycles in UrbanTransportation in Nigeria and itsImplication on Traffic Safety.”Presented at the European TransportConference, Strasbourg, France 18 – 20September.Iribhogbe P. E. and Odai E. D. (2009).Driver-related risk factors incommercial motorcycle (okada) crashesin Benin City, Nigeria. Prehosp DisasterMed . Vol. 24(4); pp.356-9Nzegwu M. A., Aligbe J. U., Banjo A.A., Akhiwui W. and Nzegwu C.O. (2008).Patterns of morbidity and mortalityamongst motorcycle riders and theirpassengers in Benin-City Nigeria: one-year review. Ann Afr Med . Vol. 7(2); pp.82-5.
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