Dept of Transport Policy and Planning, School of Transport and Logistics, Lagos State University, Ojo, Lagos, Nigeria
EP-2022-MAC-08, Prof. Odewumi, Samuel
Abstract
The study examined the phenomena of travel accidents on the roads and waterways of three selected cities in West and East Africa. Study of road traffic crashes are extensive (Tiwari, Khayesi, Mitullah, Kobusingye, Mohan, Zuidgeest. (2020), but studies on accidents on waterways are rarer. Cities with water bodies have urban forms with peculiar safety and environmental challenges. Safety policies are usually well formulated and regularly communicated to enlighten citizens, but this is less so for water transportation, especially for the local artisanal boat and ferry operators mostly patronized by the urban poor. Hence accidents are common, with many of them unreported. Therefore, this study seeks to obtain the number, pattern, causes, injuries and fatalities of road and water accidents in the cities of study. Our objectives include a comparative analysis of the data among the cities and between the modes. It will also entail evaluation of the safety regulations, enforcement and enlightenment. The perennial congestion in these cities creates a regular situation of crashes that is costing a lot in lives and property. Added to this are the poorly maintained heavy trucks, trailers, boats and ferries adding to the chaotic situation. It is further noted that the economic cost of these accidents and injuries has been estimated at 1% of GNP in low-income countries to which Africa belongs (FRSC, 2018, Tiwari et.al (2020) As an exploratory survey research, primary data will be by interviews with relevant stakeholders and field observations to document some cases of real-life incidences and casualties over a three-month period. The secondary will be from the appropriate authorities. This study is expected to contribute to the understanding of the mobility safety issues in cities with road and water transport system and contribute to policy guidelines on how to minimise the accidents.