A Study of Current Strategies and Educational Programmes for Reducing Road Accidents in Tema
CHAPTER ONE
OBJECTIVES OF STUDY
Based 0n the objectives of the study, the following questions will be assessed:
- What are the causes of road accidents in Tema?
- Effect of road accidents in Tema?
- How can road accident in Tema be prevented ?
- How do road users use the roads?
- How is the police MTTD in Tema helping to prevent road accidents?
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
First publications concerning road traffic safety
The problem of accident rates has been analyzed from the very beginning of the development of motorization. In 1902, the first scientific report was published regarding an accident that involved a vehicle with a power engine. In 1903, Dittrich published the first medical-judicial report pertaining to injuries, resulting from being run over by a mechanical vehicle. In 1908, Zimmer presented one of the first statistical analyses regarding accident rates. That analysis included accident events that took place during the period 1904–1907 in Germany. Moreover, Butrym presented one of the first reports in Poland concerning that problem in 1924. In the following years, further researches were published concerning the increase in road accidents rates. These publications pertained not only to the epidemiology of the phenomenon, but additionally described the characteristic injuries found in the victims of road events, as well as the mechanisms of their occurrence. In 1937, Straith published a report in which he suggested, as one of the first, the possibility of reducing injuries in the victims of road accidents by implementing suitable construction of vehicles. Moreover, Nader wrote about the road safety, and in his publications, the researcher criticized the American motor industry. Nader claimed that many American cars were poorly designed and dangerous while being operated, that could be a cause of road accidents (e.g., car steering and instrument panels inside cars were decorated with chrome and glittering enamel which reflected sunshine and the headlights of oncoming vehicles, causing the dazzling of the driver). Furthermore, Nader considered that the excessive external ornamentation of cars was dangerous for pedestrians (increased injuries in victims of road accidents). In addition, the author stated that many inventions improving active and passive safety of vehicles were, to a great extent, ignored by the American motor industry. Nader suggested that the motor industry should be compelled by the government to pay greater attention to the safety of vehicles. A rapid development of motorization, observed since the second half of the 20th century, accompanied by a constant growth in the number of victims of road accidents, enforced wider interest in the scope of problems connected with road safety.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research design
The researcher used descriptive research survey design in building up this project work the choice of this research design was considered appropriate because of its advantages of identifying attributes of a large population from a group of individuals. The design was suitable for the study as the study sought to a study of current strategies and educational programmes for reducing road accident in Tema, Ghana.
Sources of data collection
Data were collected from two main sources namely:
- Primary source and
- Secondary source
Primary source:
These are materials of statistical investigation which were collected by the research for a particular purpose. They can be obtained through a survey, observation questionnaire or as experiment; the researcher has adopted the questionnaire method for this study.
Secondary source:
These are data from textbook Journal handset etc. they arise as byproducts of the same other purposes. Example administration, various other unpublished works and write ups were also used.
Population of the study
Population of a study is a group of persons or aggregate items, things the researcher is interested in gathering information relevant to the examine a study of current strategies and educational programmes for reducing road accident in Tema, Ghana. 100 police officers and 100 drivers in Tema were selected randomly by the researcher as the population of the study.
CHAPTER FOUR
ANALYSIS AND PRESENTATION OF DATA
One hundred and sixty (160) questionnaires were distributed and one hundred and forty (133) were returned. This figure was the sample size. Out of the one hundred and thirty-three, only one hundred and twenty (120) were properly responded to. As a result, the researcher used one hundred and twenty for this study when more than 50% of the respondents agree to the questions, the answer is taken as valid for the purpose of this study. In analyzing the data, the approach that will be adopted is to find out the percentage and positive and negative answers to the question posed.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Introduction
It is important to ascertain that the objective of this study was to ascertain a study of current strategies and educational programmes for reducing road accident in Tema
In the preceding chapter, the relevant data collected for this study were presented, critically analyzed and appropriate interpretation given. In this chapter, certain recommendations made which in the opinion of the researcher will be of benefits in addressing the challenges of a study of current strategies and educational programmes for reducing road accident in Tema
Summary
This study was on a study of current strategies and educational programmes for reducing road accident in Tema. Four objectives were raised which included: What are the causes of road accidents in Tema, effect of road accidents in Tema, how can road accident in Tema be prevented, How do road users use the roads and how is the police MTTD in Tema helping to prevent road accidents. The researcher used questionnaires as the instrument for the data collection. Descriptive Survey research design was adopted for this study. A total of 133 respondents made up of police officers and drivers were used for the study. The data collected were presented in tables and analyzed using simple percentages and frequencies
Conclusion
The great danger that education programmes face is that they are treated as a magic bullet that satisfies a number of goals, these being to introduce a measure that allows authorities to be seen to be addressing an important topic of public concern, is plausible both to those who design the intervention and those that receive it, is politically uncontroversial requiring no regulation and is effective. The demand for educational interventions may be understood in the context that it does perform almost as a magic bullet in that these measures generally do allow authorities to be seen to be addressing a topic of public concern, are plausible to those who create and receive them and are generally politically uncontroversial. The one tiny inconvenient fact concerns effectiveness. Having examined a broad array of public health interventions it might be hoped that a definitive conclusion could be reached that educational interventions are unambiguously successful. The results do not support that conclusion. Across a wide array of public health the hoped for benefits of educational measures are not realised. As noted earlier there is increasing concern among professionals that the promotion of educational interventions “may actually act to undermine effective road safety programs by diverting scarce funds and community attention away from more effective initiatives likely to reduce crash risk” (Christie, 2001: 4). A consistent complaint is the proliferation of interventions that are based neither on theory nor on a formal body of work and with no supporting evidence. The burden of proof has shifted. In the past it would appear that the assumption has been that educational interventions are effective. Now educational interventions must demonstrate their effectiveness. The conclusion here is not that no educational interventions can work but rather that the evidence must be provided
Recommendation
- Should be a penalty to traffic offenders
- Driving license should be issuing to qualified drivers and not underage
- Authority should sanction those that make call while driving
References
- Alcohol and Public Policy Group (2003). Alcohol: No ordinary commodity. A summary of the book. Addiction, 98: 1343-1350.
- Allender, S. (2007). The burden of physical activity-related ill health in the UK. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 61: 344-348.
- Alpert, J. S. (2009). Failing grades in the adoption of healthy lifestyle choices. American Journal of Medicine, 122: 493-494.
- Arnett, J. (2007). The myth of peer influence in adolescent smoking initiation. Health Education and Behaviour, 34: 594-607.
- British Medical Association (2008a). Alcohol misuse: tackling the UK epidemic. British Medical Association. British Medical Association (2008b). Nutrition and obesity – Board of Science update. British Medical Association.
- Bellg, A. J., Borrelli, B., Resnick, B., Hecht, J., Minicucci, D. S., Ory, M., Ogedegbe, G., Orwig, D., Ernst, D. & Czajkowski, S. (2004). Enhancing Treatment Fidelity in Health Behavior Change Studies: Best Practices and Recommendations From the NIH Behavior Change Consortium. Health Psychology, 23: 443-451.
- Bennett, B. & Sothern, M. S., (2009). Diet, exercise behaviour: the promise and limits of lifestyle change. Seminars in Pediatric Surgery, 18: 162-158.
- Brown, I. D., Groeger, J. A., & Biehl, B. (1987). Is driver training contributing enough towards road safety? In J. A. Rothengatter & R. A. de Bruin (Eds.) Road Users and Traffic Safety. Assen: Van Gorcum.
- Brownell, K. D. & Warner, K. E. (2009). The perils of ignoring history: Big tobacco played and millions died. How similar is big food. The Millbank Quarterly, 87: 259- 294.