Risk Perceptions among Users of Commercial Motorcycles in Cities of SouthWestern Nigeria

Abstract

Motorcycles have constituted a significant proportion of modal choice of commuters in many cities in Nigeria. Motorcycles transport possess several unique features which have lead to their general acceptance as a source of employment among the urban poor and as alternative transport solution to the problems of commuting in Nigerian cities. In recent time, the safety of motorcycle operators and their users has become a major concern of stakeholders as a result of the increase in road accidents resulting from motorcycles transportation.
This paper examines the perceptions of the risk associated with the use of motorcycles as public transport among commuters in three cities (Ado-Ekiti, Ile-Ife and Ondo) of south western Nigeria. Data used for the study were collected through stratified sampling techniques from six hundred and sixty-five users of commercial motorcycles through the use of questionnaires. The responses derived were subjected to non-parametric analysis and Analysis of variance.
Findings show that similarities exist among the sampled cities in terms of sex,age group, motorcycles related accident experiences and safety perception among users of commercial motorcycles. The result of the Chi-square analysis (x2=22.369, p<0.05) shows a significant dependence between risk perceptions of users with motorcycles accident experience and the level of their risk awareness. Analysis of variance (F=6.416, p=0.002) shows a similarity in the level of risk perceptions among three cities.
The paper concluded by advocating the need for government to enforce the law on the use of protective devices by both operators and users. Creation of separate lanes for motorcyclists and other non motorized transport users is equally recommended.

Keywords: Public Transport, Commercial Motorcycles, Risk Perception,