In South Africa, one of the major problems facing the Ministry of Roads and Transport is the issue of road accidents. The composition of road traffic injuries and deaths since 2011 shows a decrease in the number of recorded victims.
Background to the problem
It accounts for 85% of annual deaths and 90% of the disability adjusted life years (DALYs) lost due to road traffic injury (Choueiri, et.al., 2010). According to a World Bank report, road traffic injuries cost about 1 to 2 percent of the gross national product of developing countries.
Problem statement
Road traffic injuries and deaths involve approximately 41% of vulnerable road users and pedestrians (Ministry of Transport, SA, 2007). Therefore, there is a need to analyze road traffic injuries and fatalities in Vhembe District since the beginning of the decade of road safety measures.
Research Aim and Specific Objectives
Research Aim
Specific Objectives
Research Questions
Justification of the study
The size of the population of Vhembe District Municipality also played a role in the motivation to undertake this study. The study further examined public transport drivers' levels of compliance with operational safety measures to get passengers to their destination safely.
Delimitation of the study and description of the study area
Delimitation of the Study
This study sheds light on the contributing factors that result in road traffic accidents and related injuries in the public transport sector. This is necessary because public transport is the most used mode of movement in the Vhembe District Municipality.
Description of the Study Area
The weather often becomes windy during the summer period which leads to the spread of wildfires in some part of the District (VDM, 2013). There are about 3000 taxis and 300 buses used in the daily operation of commuting people from different parts of the district (Vhembe Bus Association, 2011).
Limitations to the study
Operational Definitions
Traffic injuries occur for identifiable reasons, some resulting from factors related to the built environment. Road traffic injuries are a major cause of death, disability and suffering, and therefore a leading public health priority (Sleet, et.al., 2010:35).
Introduction
Road Traffic Injury Theory and Concept
System Theory and Safety Concept
His findings were similar to those of the Ghana National Road Safety Commission, which identified over twenty factors that cause road traffic accidents in Ghana. Government officials in the authorities responsible for roads and transport are often accused of contributing to the factors that cause road traffic accidents through corruption.
GIS Application on Road Traffic Accident
In some African societies, beliefs such as witchcraft are sometimes associated with road traffic injuries and fatalities. Identifying the hotspots of traffic accidents is essential for the establishment of effective road safety management (Moon et.al, 2009).
Road Transport Planning and Strategy
Road planning strategy and process involves rules based on the engineering nature of the environment that road engineers deem appropriate. Literal road planning that seems appropriate on paper may not necessarily be consistent with the safety correlation of the environment.
Road Design Impact on Road Traffic Accident
Despite all the careful considerations regarding road design components, some studies reveal the corresponding effect of road design and location characteristics of traffic accidents and injuries. Improvements to existing road design have contributed to the reduction of traffic accidents and injuries, especially in developed countries.
Road Safety Policy Perspective
In a study conducted in Alameda County, California, Schneider et.al found that raising the road medians on both intersecting streets was significantly associated with a reduction in traffic accidents and fewer pedestrian collisions. The effect of this extension was seen in the reduction of the average number of pedestrian accidents from 4.7 to 1 per year after the development and implementation of the new road scheme.
Conceptual framework
Model for Road Traffic Accidents
All drivers must adhere to vehicle capacity and not overload at all times above the regulated and standard weight of the vehicle. The model has a system of traffic laws, regulations and means of enforcement, designed to enforce the population to obey traffic laws, rules and to sentence offenders for various traffic violations.
Introduction
Research Design
Type of Research Design
What is the composition of road traffic injuries and fatalities in Vhembe District Municipality from 2011 to 2015?. How can GIS techniques be used to identify and map traffic accident and fatality hotspots?.
Sampling Method, Size and Unit of Analysis
Ethical Considerations
Methods of Data Collection
Technical Reports and Sector Department Documents
Interviews, Field Survey, Questionnaire and Focus Group Discussion
Participant and Non-Participant Observation
Method of Data Analysis
Trend Analysis, Comparative Analysis and Factorial Analysis
Geographical Information System Techniques
Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) Analysis
Introduction
Road Traffic Injuries and Fatalities Composition in Vhembe District
- Road Traffic Injuries and Fatalities Composition for 2011
- Road Traffic Injuries and Fatalities Composition for 2012
- Road Traffic Injuries and Fatalities Composition for 2013
- Road Traffic Injuries and Fatalities Composition for 2014
- Road Traffic Injuries and Fatalities Composition for 2015
The composition of road traffic injuries and fatalities for the Vhembe District Municipality in 2013 is shown in Figure 9, excluding the month of December due to unavailability of data. The categories of road users involved in traffic accidents and fatalities in the municipality on a monthly basis recorded 16 driver fatalities in the month of July, followed by June and August. The total number of road traffic casualties recorded for VDM in 2014 was 969, of which 612 were slightly injured, 272 and 85 seriously injured or 85 fatal (see Figure 12).
Road Users Categories Involved in Road Traffic Injuries and Fatalities in VDM
A Comparative Analysis of Road Traffic Fatalities Victims
The graph above shows that an upward trend in road fatalities was observed in July, followed by April for the considered period in 2015. The total number of registered road fatalities for Vhembe district in 2015 to August was 890, of which 538 were slightly injured; while 253 and 99 were seriously injured and killed respectively (see figure 14). The one-way ANOVA (Table 6) implies that the variations between the categories of road users involved in road fatalities are significant (p < 0.05).
A Comparative Analysis for Road Traffic Serious Injuries Victims
The comparative trend analysis curves ran almost parallel to each other for all years studied, with the exception of an upward trend in the passenger category, which also reflects the group of road users who are more vulnerable to road accidents. Looking at the one-way ANOVA (Table 7) for serious road injuries for the 5-year period studied, the variation between the categories of road users was found to be highly significant (p < 0.05). This also implies that the serious injuries recorded were real and not accidental.
A Comparative Analysis for Road Traffic Minor Injuries Victims
Contributing Factors to Road Traffic Injuries and Fatalities in VDM
Factors Contributing to Road Traffic Injuries and Fatalities in VDM in 2011
On average 7 accidents were due to other factors, such as road geometry/road surface, stray animals, drunk driving and other external factors. Some of the road traffic injuries and deaths were due to two or more contributing factors. Speeding Drunk driving Pedestrians in the road Wrong driving Overtaking Brake failure/mechanical fault Road geometry/road surface Stray animals Other external factors.
Factors Contributing to Road Traffic Injuries and Fatalities in VDM in 2012
Factors Contributing to Road Traffic Injuries and Fatalities in VDM in 2013
Factors Contributing to Road Traffic Injuries and Fatalities in VDM in 2014
Factors Contributing to Road Traffic Injuries and Fatalities in VDM in 2015
A time occurrence of traffic accidents and fatalities during this period showed that 31%.
Road Traffic Injuries and Fatalities Spots and Hotspots within VDM
- Road Traffic Injuries and Fatalities Hotspots within VDM for 2011
- Road Traffic Injuries and Fatalities Hotspots within VDM for 2012
- Road Traffic Injuries and Fatalities Hotspots within VDM for 2013
- Road Traffic Injuries and Fatalities Hotspots within VDM for 2014
- Road Traffic Injuries and Fatalities Hotspots within VDM for 2015
After taking into account the minimum people required to be involved in traffic injuries and fatalities, a total of around 52 hotspots were identified in 2012. Other roads, such as the R578, N1, R81 and R522 were those with few traffic injuries and fatalities hotspots. However, the total number of traffic injuries and deaths was around 42, with 6 cold spots identified.
Road Users Attitudes towards Road Safety Preventive Measures in VDM
- Behavioural Attitude of Motorist in Vhembe District Municipality
- Behavioural Attitude of Pedestrian in Vhembe District Municipality
- Road Traffic Officers Perspective about Road Safety in Vhembe District
- SWOT Analysis of Road Safety Measures in Vhembe District
About 66% of the pedestrians surveyed answered that they were aware of the traffic signs they should observe while on the road. On issues related to who should be held accountable for road traffic injuries and deaths on the road, their response was most of the road traffic accidents can be attributed to social behavior of road users. It can be organized monthly to remind people about the need for road safety.
Introduction
Composition of Road Traffic Injuries and Fatalities for Vhembe District
The reduction of road traffic injury and death patterns and trends can be attributed to the concerted efforts and actions of the Department of Roads and Transport within the district to respond to the United Nations mandate (RTMC, 2011). The month of July was the deadliest road traffic month in this study, because it happened in almost all the years studied. The analysis made on the road traffic accident reports for the studied period shows that the month of July requires critical attention and measures should be taken by the District Roads and Transport Directorate to ensure that traffic officials are more visible during this month in all district roads (LDRT, 2013).
Factors Contributing to Road Traffic Injuries and Fatalities in Vhembe District
In 2011, illegal driving and overtaking were responsible for 130 traffic accidents out of the 554 registered for that year. The timing of the incident was also identified as a contributing factor to the severity of traffic injuries and deaths. As shown in the data analysis chapter, more than 34% of traffic accidents and fatalities occurred during the 2011 time block.
Road Traffic Injuries and Fatalities Hotspots Area within Vhembe District
During field survey observation, it was noticed that most of the roads are in good condition except for some potholes. It was further observed that some of the hotspot locations happened to be points of intersections as some of the road accidents are caused by the recklessness and illegal driving of motorists. Public drivers driving long shifts get tired and end up being aggressive and erratic on the roads, forcing innocent private drivers to drive wrongly, leading to traffic injuries and deaths.
Attitude of pedestrian in adhering to road safety measures
However, road geometry and road design contribute to driver inattention, leading to road accidents. Also, pedestrians in the study area did not take road safety preventive measures seriously. During field observations, very few pedestrians practiced the look right, look left, and look right rule before crossing the street.
Conclusions
Pedestrians do not have a good attitude towards road safety measures and rules meant to help save lives, especially when crossing roads. The majority of pedestrians do not use the footbridges that ensure safe crossing in Vhembe District Municipality. They prefer to jay – go and don't feel the need to consider their safety and follow the rule of thumb for crossing roads (look right, look left, then right again).
Recommendations
- Revised and Improved Road Accident Report Template
- Road accident data synchronisation
- In-depth research on road accident contributing factors
- Road safety campaign and awareness
- Recruitment of more traffic personnel
- Acceleration on intelligent transport system implementation
- Strict adherence to use of side-walks and pedestrian bridges
- Regularly checking of vehicular road worthiness
- Installation of traffic lights
Road traffic awareness campaigns should be carried out at the end of each month in order to alert all road users to the importance of road safety measures. There should be a road safety curriculum that should be completed in high school and part of the driving lessons before a driver's license is issued. Funds paid through the Road Accident Response Fund (RAF) should be used to develop and subsidize an intelligent vehicle that can detect potential hazards on the road 500 meters ahead and ensure the driver stops automatically.
Future Research Areas
