SOCIOLOGICAL FACTORS AS DETERMINANTS OF ACCIDENTS RISK BEHAVIOUR AMONG COMMERCIAL DRIVERS IN OYO STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Road traffic crashes have become one of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity across the globe and specifically in Nigeria. Human factor in relation to risk behaviour appears to be a leading cause of road traffic crashes. Based on this background, the study investigated sociological factors as determinants of accidents risk behaviour among commercial drivers in Oyo State, Nigeria. The study examined accident risk behaviour as well as its relationship with sociological factors. The study adopted descriptive research design of the survey type. The population for the study comprised commercial drivers who were domiciled in Oyo State, Nigeria. A total of three hundred and sixty (360) participants 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 0.78 was obtained. Data collected were analysed using frequency count, simple percentage 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 social deviance, touting and poverty are sociological factors that can lead to accident risk behaviour. The result showed that risk behaviour such as drink-driving, arbitrary overtaking, excessive speeding and use of mobile telephone while driving could lead to the occurrence of road traffic accidents. The findings further revealed a significant relationship between sociological factors and accident risk behaviour among commercial drivers. Based on these findings it was therefore recommended that Oyo State government should enact laws prohibiting tout activities at motor parks.