Pedestrians' injury patterns in Ghana

Area of Science:

• Road safety
• Traffic injury prevention
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Pedestrian injuries represent a significant public health concern in urban areas.
• Understanding risk factors is crucial for developing effective prevention strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify associations between pedestrian injuries and factors like vehicle characteristics, temporal trends, and the road environment.
• To analyze pedestrian crash data to inform safety interventions.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of de-identified pedestrian crash data from 2002-2006.
• Utilized the Building & Road Research Institute's crash data bank.
• Employed multinomial logistic regression to estimate odds ratios for casualty fatalities.

Main Results:

• 812 pedestrian casualties were reported; 33% were fatal, 45% serious injuries, 22% minor.
• Road crossing was responsible for over 70% of pedestrian deaths.
• Speeding was linked to a 65% probability of pedestrian fatality; adjusted odds ratio of 3.6 compared to driver inattentiveness.
• Lighter vehicles (private cars, motorcycles) were associated with lower fatality rates compared to buses.

Conclusions:

• Pedestrian death is the leading cause of road user fatality in Ghana.
• Key risk factors include heavy vehicles, speeding, and roadside activities (hawking, jaywalking, night walking).
• Recommendations include reducing vehicle speeds, implementing traffic medians, street lighting, and regulating roadside activities.