ESTABLISHING POSSIBLE RISK FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH MOTORCYCLE USE AND SAFETY BETWEEN BARATON AND CHEPTERIT, NANDI COUNTY, KENYA

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1 ESTABLISHING POSSIBLE RISK FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH MOTORCYCLE USE AND SAFETY BETWEEN BARATON AND CHEPTERIT, NANDI COUNTY, KENYA Jackie K. Obey & Esther Njagi University of Eastern Africa, Baraton, P.O. Box , Eldoret, Kenya ABSTRACT Risk factors associated with motorcycle (boda-boda) safety is significant in contributing to the health risks of disease in Kenya. These risk factors are important to the health status of the drivers and passengers and families of both as well as to the society at large. The aim of this study is to determine some factors associated with road safety use by motorcyclists between Baraton and Chepterit, Nandi County, Kenya.The data obtained from this study was collected by observational studies at Baraton and Chepterit locations of Nandi County, Kenya. It focused on the use of helmets and reflective clothing by motorcyclists and passengers. Some other factors were established as possible risks to the safety of motorcycle users in the study area. It was observed during the study period that overall, 80% of motorcyclists wore helmets and 21% wore reflective clothing. Only 1.33% of the passengers wore helmets. No passenger was observed to wear reflective clothing during the study. Results also showed that 82% of the motorcycle drivers had no license or public service (PSV) insurance coverage. Promotion of helmet and reflective clothing use between Baraton and Chepterit will decrease the risk of head injuries, disease, and death obtained from motorcycle crash.the study proposes that there be education for local motorcycle users on the safe use of roads. It also suggests that the laws governing the use of helmets and reflective clothing by motorcyclists be enforced and given more focus. Keywords: Helmet, Reflective Clothing, Baraton, Chepterit, Public Service Vehicle, motorcycle, boda-boda Introduction and Literature Review A motorcycle ride is an enjoyable recreational ride for many people. Its use is very convenient and it is a functional mode of transportation (Fagnant & Kockleman, 2015). Motorcycle injuries constitute a major but neglected emerging public health problem in developing countries and contribute significantly to the overall road traffic injuries (Peden et al., 2002). However, risk factors associated with motorcycle (boda-boda) safety are important to the health status of the drivers and passengers and family members of both as well as to the society at large. In the year 2004 alone in the United States, there were 4000 motorcyclist fatalities recorded, 8.6% of all traffic deaths (Houston & Richardson, 2007). In the same study, it was found out that the major cause of the deaths was head injury (34%), while other conditions accounted for 83%. From the year 2005, for eight straight years, the number of deaths from motorcycle injury increased to 4300 deaths per year accounting for 10% of all motor vehicle crash fatalities (Houston & Richardson, 2007). During a study conducted in the United States for one year, it was discovered that 1300 deaths per year occurred due to head injury. Out of 99 cyclists with serious brain injury, only 4% wore helmets (Thompson et al., 1989). Riders with helmets showed an 85% risk reduction from injury (OR 0.15, 95% confidence interval of 0.07 to 0.29). After exemption of wearing helmet by the Florida law, there was a 46.8% increase in motorcycle occupants deaths the year after the law was changed (Muller, 2004). In Nigeria, motorcycle is referred to as Okada and forms 1 out of every 4 vehicles involved in a crash (Arosanyin, 2006). In Africa, a research carried out in Tanzania on the use of motorcycles revealed that there has been an increase in its usage from 6,700 in 2007 to 85,000 in 2009 (Nkwame, 2010). Haworth (2010) indicated that with the increasing number of motorcycles as a means of transport, motorcycle accidents will also become high. He added that the causes of motorcycle accidents were human, environmental errors and defective vehicles. In Kenya, in the last 6 years, the number of registered motorcycles has increased dramatically. Between 2005 and 2011, motorcycle registration increased by almost 40-fold. In 2011, motorcycles made up 70% of all newly registered vehicles (WHO, 2013). Road traffic crashes, injuries and deaths involving motorcycles have also increased noticeably and are putting heavy burden on families, communities, and the health system

2 in general. In 2010, a total of 3055 road traffic deaths were reported by the Kenya Traffic Police. Of these, approximately 7% were motorcyclists. There has been a 5-fold increase in motorcycle-related deaths reported by police between 2005 and 2010 (WHO, 2013). In a study conducted by AMEND in Thika, Kenya, the average age of the injured drivers was 28.4 years with people aged 18 to 24 years and 25 to 31 years accounting for 29% and 47% of those injured, respectively. Only 4% of drivers were wearing a helmet at the time of their crash (AMEND, 2014). Almost 70% of the injured drivers reported to have lost some income following the injury. There was a significant association between sustaining a bodily injury and time of day, with the highest proportion of crashes occurring around nightfall, and only 8.5% of the boda-boda drivers reported the injury incident to the police. The aim of this study, therefore, is to establish the factors associated with motorcycle use and safety between Baraton and Chepterit, Nandi County. The study will also create awareness of safe road use by motorcyclists between Baraton and Chepterit, Nandi Table 1 County. Methodology Data was collected through a structured questionnaire triangulated with observation. The data was analysed using descriptive statistics in terms of helmet use and non-use by both passengers and drivers, reflector jacket use and non-use by both passengers and drivers, number of passengers per motorcycle, presence or absence of service shops, attending a training school, possession of driver license and taking a driving test. Confounding factors like weather, time of day among others were taken care of by conducting the study during the dry season and at the mid morning hours of each day. Results The results from this study showed that most motorcycle drivers use helmets while the passengers do not (Table 1). Percentage of Helmet Use and Non-Use Among Motorcycle Drivers and Passengers Helmet Use Helmet Non-use Motorcycle drivers Motorcycle passengers The use of black color helmets by most of the drivers was followed by the use of helmet colors like crimson red and royal blue. Grey and white helmets Table 2 were the least used by the driver (table 2). Percentage of Helmet Use According to Color of Helmet Color of Helmet Number Percentage (%) Black Crimson Red Royal Blue Grey White

3 Table 3 Percentage of Reflective Clothing Use Reflective Clothing Use Reflective Clothing Non-use Motorcycle driver 84.62% 15.38% Motorcycle passengers 0% 100% Most of the motorcycle drivers did have on reflective clothing during the observation period. No passenger was observed to be using reflective clothing. Other factors determined were possession of driver s license (18%), attendance of driving school (39.30%), possession of insurance policy for motorcycle (46.60%), bimonthly servicing of motorcycle (96%), alcohol intake during working hours (0%), illegal drugs intake during the day when working (3.6%) and age between 22 and 28 years (92.86%). Discussion Factors that influence motorcycle safety is a rising concern in East Africa. A study carried out in Kenya showed that 33% of drivers injured in motorcycle accidents did not wear any protective equipment (Matheka et al., 2015). A study carried out in Tanzania revealed that only 22.7% of patients suffering from motorcycle injury wore helmets. The overall death rate was 16.7% (Chalya et al., 2010). In the present study, motorcyclists claim that the passengers usually refuse to wear the helmet. They say the passenger are afraid to contract head infection. The female passengers also fear spoiling their hairstyles. Some of the motorcyclists say that they do not have extra money to buy another helmets. They feel the motorcycles should be sold with two helmets each. Most of the motorcyclists obtain their helmets with the motorcycle when they purchase it. It is noted that white colored helmet is the best because it increases conspicuity. Rider conspicuity is also thought to be a factor influencing motorcyclists safety in New Zealand. These factors include using a white helmet, light-colored helmet and putting on the headlight during the day (Wells et al., 2004) Most of the motorcyclists obtain their helmets with the motorcycle when they purchase it. This means that most motorcycles bought by people in the area come with black helmets (Table 2). It is noted that white colored helmet is the best because it increases conspicuity. Rider conspicuity is also thought to be a factor influencing motorcyclists safety in New Zealand. These factors include using a white helmet, light-colored helmet and putting on the headlight during the day (Wells et al., 2004) During the interview and observation, it was found out that 84.6% had reflective jackets and 15.38% did not have reflective clothing. Some of the motorcyclists claim that they did not have their jackets on because they had washed the jackets. This also means that most of them possess only one jacket. Only eighteen percent (18%) of the drivers possess driver license. Most (82%) did not possess driver s license. It was mentioned that 22/56 (39.3%) had gone to driving school while 34/56 (60.7%) had not undergone training. They generally claimed that the cost of training and obtaining a driver s license is not affordable. This finding is unlike that found in Benin State, Nigeria, where it was fund that although 73.5% of motorcyclists owned drivers licence, only 27.2% took a road test before being given a driver s license and 45% received no training to drive (Iribhogbe & Odai, 2009). It was also noted that 26 out of 56 (46.6%) motorcyclists had insurance while 53.6% had no insurance policy. Both Chepterit and Baraton have service venues for servicing the motorcycles. All the motorcyclists claim that they service their motorcycles on a regular basis. Ninety six percent (96%) claim that they service their motorcycles on a bimonthly basis, while four percent (4%) claim they service their vehicles on a monthly basis. The study showed that one-hundred percent (100%) of the motorcyclists do not take alcohol when at work or at all during working hours. It also revealed that 2 out of 56 (3.6%) of the cyclists take illegal drug during the day when on the job. This finding is from that of Iribhogbe and Odai (2009) in which 39.8% of the drivers admitted to have regular alcohol intake.

4 Most (52 out of 56; 92.86%) of the motorcyclists were between the ages of 22 to 28 years, while only 4 (7.14%) were above 28 years old. The number of deaths among older motorcyclists is higher than among younger motorcyclists due to a slower reflex action. Death has risen among older drivers as more of them hit the road (Hagerty, 2014). Drivers between the ages of 55-64yrs made up 10.8% of motorcycle deaths in 2007, 12.3% in 2012 and 16.3% of motorcycle deaths in All the factors observed during this study are geared towards sensitizing motorcyclists between Baraton and Chepterit on safety techniques because observing strict rules for motorcycle safety can save lives. For example, a study carried out in Nigeria showed that in treatment centers for motorcycle accident victims, out of 87 drivers, 86 (98.85%) did not wear a helmet at the time of the crash, while only 1 (1.15%) wore helmet. In many developed and developing countries, the helmet laws are relaxed and not enforced anymore. In another part of Nigeria, it was also observed that the rate of motorcycle and other vehicle collision was 40.6%, while other motorcyclepedestrian rate was 23.4% (Solagberu et al., 2006). Arosanyin et al. (2012) also reported that one out of every four vehicles in crash in Samuru-Zaria, Nigeria, is due to a motorcycle. A thirty-year study across fifty states in the United States of America took place between 1975 and During this study, the repeal of the universal helmet law was associated with a 11.1% reduction in motorcycle fatality rates, but rates in states with partial coverage statutes were not significant different from states that had no law (Houston and Richardson, 2007). Fifty three patients had mild injuries, twenty nine had moderate injuries and twenty three had severe injuries. Forty four (45.83%) did CT scan and out of those, 38 (86.36%) of them had intracranial lesions while six (13.6%) had no lesions. Other repercussions of not observing motorcycle safety include the major impact of hospital stay and long term disability (McSwain & Belles, 1990). In China, The National Bureau for Traffic and Adminstration Injury records showed that from 1997 to 2001, records collected from 20 counties revealed that motorcycles constituted 23.4% of all registered motor vehicles in 1987 and 63.2% in The same study revealed that the motorcle fatalities had increased 5.5 fold to 9.3 fold during the same period (Zhang et al., 2004). Conclusion Lack of use of helmet by motorcyclists operating between Baraton and Chepterit is a factor that may lead to future disaster. All motorcyclists and passengers should use preferably white color helmets to increase conspicuity on the road. Motorcyclists and passengers should use reflective clothing to increase visibility and have more than one jacket. All motorcyclists should go for training and obtain license before purchasing and using motorcycles. It is recommended that regular organized meetings be held with motorcycle users to educate them on issues involving road safety. The Kenyan law governing motorcycle use should be enforced on the road between Baraton and Chepterit in order to prevent future disaster from not conforming to measures that improve motorcycle safety. REFERENCES Andrews, C. N., Kobusingye, O. C., & Lett, R. (2008). Road traffic accident injuries in Kampala. East African Medical Journal, 76, AMEND. (2014). Road traffic injuries in Kenya: A survey of motorcycle drivers. Retrieved from Arosanyin, G.T., Olowosusu, A.T., & Oyeyemi, G. M. (2012). Compliance with road safety regulations among commercial motorcyclists in Nigeria. Canadian Social Science, 8, Chalya, P. L., Mabula, J. B., Ngayomala, L. H., Kanumba, E. S., Chandika, A. B., Gitti, G.,... Balumuka, D. D. (2010). Motorcycle injuries as an emerging public health problem in Mwanza City, North-Western Tanzania. Journal of Health Research, 12(4), Fagnant, D. J. & Kockelman, K. M. (2015). Motorcycle use in the United States: Crash experiences, safety perspectives and countermeasures. Journal of Transportation Safety and Security, 7(1), Hagerty, J. P. (2014, December 21). Uneasy rider: Boomer deaths in motorcycle crashes rise. The Wall Street Journal. Houston, D. J. & Richardson L. E. (2007). Motorcycle safety and the repeal of the helmet laws, American Journal of Public Health, 97(11), Iribhogbe, P. E. & Odai, E. D. (2009). Driver-related

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