PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS AS CORRELATES OF ACCIDENT RISK BEHAVIOUR AMONG COMMERCIAL DRIVERS IN ONDO STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Road traffic accident is one of the leading causes of death in Nigeria as human factors seem to occupy a very high rate in the causative index of road traffic crashes. It is against this background that this study investigated psychological factors as correlates of accident risk behaviour among commercial drivers in Ondo State, Nigeria. It examined the psychological factors as well as the accident risk behaviour. The study determined the relationship between psychological factors and accident risk behaviour. The study adopted the descriptive research design of survey type. The population for the study consisted of commercial drivers who were domiciled in Ondo State, Nigeria. A total of three hundred and sixty (360) respondents were sampled using the multistage sampling procedures. Data were collected with the use of a validated self-developed questionnaire. Test-retest reliability was carried out on the instrument and a coefficient of 0.81 was obtained. Data collected were analysed using frequency count, simple percentages and mean scores to answer the research questions raised while Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) analysis was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that anxiety, anger, impatience and sensation seeking are psychological factors that can lead to accident risk behaviour. The results showed that alcohol consumption, excessive speed, dangerous overtaking, use of cell phones and driving without head light at night are risks behaviour that could lead to the occurrence of road traffic accidents. The findings further revealed a significant relationship between psychological factors and accident risk behaviour among the commercial drivers. Based on these findings it was therefore recommended that Ondo State government in collaboration with the Federal Road Safety Corps and health educators should organize seminars, workshops, and motor park rallies on road safety for commercial drivers in Ondo State.