AUTHOR=Hareru Habtamu Endashaw , Negassa Belay , Kassa Abebe Reta , Ashenafi Eden , Zenebe Getachew Assefa , Debela Berhanu Gidisa , Ashuro Zemachu , Eshete Soboksa Negasa 

TITLE=The epidemiology of road traffic accidents and associated factors among drivers in Dilla Town, Southern Ethiopia

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Public Health

VOLUME=Volume 10 - 2022

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2022.1007308

DOI=10.3389/fpubh.2022.1007308

ISSN=2296-2565

ABSTRACT=Background: Data on the magnitude of road traffic accidents (RTA) was mostly obtained through police records and hospital registration data. However, insufficient data reporting masked the scope of the problem, and little attention was paid to the magnitude and correlates of road traffic accidents from the driver's perspectives. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of RTA and related factors among drivers.
Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study involving 316 drivers was conducted in Southern Ethiopia. The participants were chosen using a systematic random sample technique, and the data was obtained using an interview-administered structured questionnaire. To analyse the data, SPSS version 20 was employed. In addition to descriptive statistics, binary logistic regression analysis was also employed to find factors connected to traffic accidents. RTA factors were considered statistically significant if they had a P-value of 0.05 or below in the multivariate analysis.
 Result: The RTA among drivers was 126 (39.9%) (95% confidence interval (CI): 34.2–45.6%) in the previous year. The following factors were associated with RTA: vehicle maintenance (AOR) = 0.11, 95% CI: 0.09, 0.96), media utilization (AOR = 0.38, 95% CI: 0.18, 0.65), participation in driving-related training (AOR = 0.73, 95% CI: 0.28, 0.91), punishment for prior traffic violations (AOR = 0.56, 95% CI: 0.47, 0.83), and risky driving behavior (AOR = 7.89, 95% CI: 3.22, 12.38).
Conclusion: Two-fifths of the drivers were involved in a traffic accident. Risky driving behaviors, vehicle maintenance, media usage, attending driving-related training in the previous two years, and prior experience with traffic police punishment or warning were all factors strongly linked to road traffic accidents. As a result, the Federal Ministry of Transport of Ethiopia and other stakeholders should support making it mandatory for drivers to check the safety of their vehicles; providing drivers with safety training; raising awareness about vehicle maintenance and risky driving behaviors; and enforce strict penalties for traffic violations.