Causes and Mitigation Measures for Road Traffic Accidents in Public Service Vehicles in Kenya

Abstract

Road Traffic Accidents are a worldwide concern as they lead to injury of persons, loss of lives and damage to property. The paper reviews the causes, trends and patterns of RTAs and evaluates the strategies that can be adopted to mitigate or prevent the RTAs within Kakamega Town. The research involved accidents associated with PSVs in Kakamega Town from 2005 to 2012. Descriptive research design was employed in the study. Purposive sampling was used for key informants while stratified random sampling was employed for sampling. Questionnaires, interview guides and observational checklist were used to gather primary data while reports and other publications were reviewed for secondary data. Descriptive and inferential statistics and norm thematic evaluation were used to carry out the analysis of the data collected. Data was analyzed using regression, spearman rank order and chi-square test of independence. The findings of the study are useful to other scholars, the government and other stakeholders in their persuit to reduce accidents in Kenya.

Keywords: Road traffic accidents, mitigation measures