Takele, Semegnew (2017) Seat Belt Utilization among Public Transport Drivers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: An In-Side Vehicle Observational Study. Masters thesis, Addis Ababa University.
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Abstract
Background: Proper seat belt wearing can significantly save lives and reduce the risk of serious injury during road traffic crashes. In Ethiopia, an increasing vehicle crash fatalities and injuries is one of health challenges for the 21th century though it has road traffic laws including seat belt use since 2011. Commercial public transport vehicles, especially taxi/mini buses and public transport buses usually prone to traffic crashes. The country seat belt use laws obligate drivers to utilize seat belt while driving and the well known drivers’ seat belt use estimate and enforcement seem to be high although it has a proper seat belt utilization estimate and enforcement gap. The reliable estimate and enforcement of proper seat belt usage is confirmed by an in-side vehicle observation aimed at reducing the burden of severe injuries and fatalities from traffic crashes. Objective: This study examined proper safety seat belt utilization and factors associated with utilization of seat belt among drivers of public transport vehicles in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess safety seat belt wearing status and factors associated with safety seat belt utilization among drivers of public transport vehicles using an in-side vehicle observational approach in Addis Ababa city, Ethiopia, in February, 2017. We observed 600 vehicles at 20 observation sites after we prepared observational cheklists and protocols and the collected data was analyzed using SPSS version 21.0. Multivariate logistic regression model was used to identify variables for driver utilization of proper seat belt and to test which variables had statistically significant association with it at p-value < 0.05. Results: The prevalence of driver proper safety seat belt utilization among public transport drivers observed in-side vehicles in February, 2017 in Addis Ababa was 47.5% with 95% CI=43.3, 51.3. The multivariate analysis revealed that khat chewing drivers with AOR=2.41(1.04, 5.60, p<0.05), drivers engaged in driving distraction activities with AOR=2.93 (2.08, 4.13, p<0.001) and vehicle type (city public transport bus drivers) with AOR=1.66(1.09, 2.52, p<0.05) were more likely associated with driver none proper safety seat belt utilization. Conclusion: Proper seat belt use among public transport vehicle drivers was very low (47.5%) and less than the well known high seat belt use reports. Khat chewer, distraction engaged and public transport bus drivers were more likely to not use proper seat belt. Thus, educating drivers and high visibility enforcement are important to promote proper seat belt utilization and ultimately to save lives and to reduce severe traffic accidents during crashes.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Masters) |
|---|---|
| Subjects: | R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine > RA0421 Public health. Hygiene. Preventive Medicine |
| Divisions: | Africana |
| Depositing User: | Emmanuel Ndorimana |
| Date Deposited: | 23 Jul 2018 14:32 |
| Last Modified: | 23 Jul 2018 14:32 |
| URI: | http://thesisbank.jhia.ac.ke/id/eprint/7969 |
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