Factors influencing high rate of taxi motorcycle accidents in Kasipul Kabondo Constituency, HomaBay County

Abstract

Chapter one of this study presents the background of the study, statement of the problem that necessitated the research and the purpose of the research. The research was conducted to investigate factors influencing high rate of taxi motorcycle accidents in Kasipul Constituency ofHomabay County. Motorcycles are a fast service that is flexible but subjects travellers to risks of accidents. Taxi motorcycle accidents are becoming a common phenomenon in this country with escalatibns in Kasipul Kabondo constituency as witnessed by the number of casualties that keep increasing by the day. The Rachuonyo South District Hospital puts their figure at 10-12 cases admitted daily while the traffic police figures are at 15 cases a day. Many fatal accidents are alleged to be as a result of short training time, poor terms of service, poor road conditions, abuse of drugs and substances, role of traffic police and riding experience. This study was purposely to determine factors that influence taxi motorcycle accidents. The five factors as spelt out in the five objectives of this study are as follows: to determine the influence of drug and substance abuse on high rate of taxi motorcycle accidents, to establish how road conditions influence high rate of taxi motorcycle accidents, to investigate how terms of service influences high rate of taxi motorcycle accidents, to assess how experience of riders influences high rate of taxi motorcycle accidents and to explore the role of traffic police and how this influences high rate of taxi motorcycle accidents.

The research questions from the objectives are as follows: to what extent does drug and substance abuse influence high rate of taxi motorcycle accidents in Kasipul-Kabondo constituency? To what level does road condition influence high rate of taxi motorcycle accidents in the constituency? How far does the experience of riders influence high rate of taxi motorcycle accidents in Kasipul Kabondo constituency? To what extent does terms of service influence this? And lastly what is the role of traffic police on high rate of taxi motorcycle accidents in Kasipul Kabondo? It was hoped that the study would explain what needs to be done to curb increasing frequency of taxi motorcycle accidents. A descriptive survey technique was thus used to collect data that was used to get answers to the research questions under study. Structured questionnaires were used with a target population of 2720 boda boda riders with a sample size of 272 riders and an additional 26 medical personnel as well as traffic police. The riders together with medics and traffic police formed a target population of 2746, making a sample size of 298 respondents. Majority of riders take drugs because they want to wish away frustrations and most of them began this in trade. Moreover, roads were pathetic thereby reducing their efficiency as they were full of potholes with few road signs. In addition poor terms of service were revealed to contribute to overloading, over speeding. Again inexperience aggravated accidents and the police played a little role in reducing accidents. Campaigns against drug abuse, frequent repair of roads, better terms of service and stepped up surveillance by police were recommended as a way forward to reducing the high rate of taxi motorcycle accidents.