Analysis of the Extent of Red Light Running in Minna, North-Central Nigeria

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A B S T R A C T This research pursued the objectives of assessing the awareness, perception, and levels of adherence of road users to traffic rules and regulations. The study was carried out in Minna and the major signalized roads were the target of the research. The research applied the survey research methodology, which involves carrying volumetric count of vehicles running the red lights on the signalized routes. The research therefore, found out that, majority of the violators of the traffic signals were the motorcycle riders, closely followed by the tricycle operators; the commercial vehicle owners also form a major percentage of violators of the red light rules in the city. The research, therefore, recommended that, strict measures aimed at ensuring immediate compliance with the traffic signals should be implemented, through fines and sanctions on violators to impoundment of offending vehicles. The research concluded that, if instant measures are not put in place to check the menace of the red light running, it will have serious adverse effect on the social and economic strata of the city.

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Analysis of the Extent of Red Light Running in Minna, North-Central Nigeria * 1Ms.C SAMUEL MEDAYESE, 2PhD Candidate MOHAMMED TAUHEED ALFA, 3Dr. NELSON T.A ABD’RAZACK, 4Miss FAITH O. AGBAWN5 1 , 3 & 4 Department of Urban and Regional planning, Federal University of Technology Minna, Niger State, Nigeria 2 Department of Architecture, Cyprus International University, Nicosia, Cyprus 1E mail: m.samuel@futminna.edu.ng 2E mail: mohammedtalfa@yahoo.com 3 & 4Emil: malfa@ciu.edu.tr A B S T R A C T This research pursued the objectives of assessing the awareness, perception, and levels of adherence of road users to traffic rules and regulations. The study was carried out in Minna and the major signalized roads were the target of the research. The research applied the survey research methodology, which involves carrying volumetric count of vehicles running the red lights on the signalized routes. The research therefore, found out that, majority of the violators of the traffic signals were the motorcycle riders, closely followed by the tricycle operators; the commercial vehicle owners also form a major percentage of violators of the red light rules in the city. The research, therefore, recommended that, strict measures aimed at ensuring immediate compliance with the traffic signals should be implemented, through fines and sanctions on violators to impoundment of offending vehicles. The research concluded that, if instant measures are not put in place to check the menace of the red light running, it will have serious adverse effect on the social and economic strata of the city. CONTEMPORARY URBAN AFFAIRS (2019), 3(2), 124-136. https://doi.org/10.25034/ijcua.2018.470zd9 www.ijcua.com Copyright © 2018 Contemporary Urban Affairs. All rights reserved. 1. Introduction Over the years, the basic measures to address road traffic accidents (RTAs) in Nigeria have been characterised by a lack of strong political will, concern and priority. Usually the responses experienced have been characterised by high vigilance following a major road accident, which gradually dies off with the passing of time (Khayesi, 2004). Manifestation of violation of road traffic rules in Nigeria includes; failure to use seat belts, over speeding, reckless driving, dangerous overtaking, driving without authorized plates, lack of fire extinguisher, making phone calls while driving, failure to obey traffic lights, traffic signs and over loading among others. Private and commercial motorcyclists are not left out of this malaise. Adherence of road users to traffic rules and regulations is an on-going challenge in Minna metropolis the capital of Niger State. Traffic rules are said to be violated when drivers and pedestrians deliberately disobey formally prohibited or socially accepted codes of driving behaviour. Niger State government introduced traffic light across the major busy or heavy traffic areas in Minna as a way of ensuring compliance with road traffic rules by drivers. However, despite these efforts, there has been continued and increasing non-compliance with road traffic rules by drivers, including those driving personal vehicles and motorcycles. This research work carried out a clear assessment of underlying factors that influence road users of not adhering to the traffic rules and regulations in Minna metropolis. Motorcyclists, Motorists and passengers are among the most vulnerable road users and represent an important group to target for reducing road traffic injuries (Johnson and Adebayo, 2011). Traffic rules play a very important role in a country. These rules are made to avoid traffic, congestion in towns and cities. Traffic rules in Nigeria are primarily designed to prevent and reduce road accidents and clear obstructions on the high way to ensure free flow of traffic. But a recent study conducted by Federal Road Safety Commission revealed that more than 80 per cent of all road accidents which cause serious injuries, loss of properties and lives were attributed to poor knowledge of traffic rules and regulations by motorists and non-adherence to them. Road crashes started in Lagos, Nigeria in 1906. Ever since, it has been a major killer in Nigeria (Tunde, et al., 2012). The attempt to reduce the number and severity of road crashes necessitated the formulation of road traffic regulations to guide operation, conduct and other issues relating to the road and the road users. There are various categories of road users ranging from vehicle owners, motorcyclists, cyclists, tricyclists and pedestrians. The use of motorcycles for commuting passengers gained accelerated momentum in Nigeria after the economic recession of the early 1980s (Tunde et al., 2012). The study will add knowledge on understanding what rules and regulation risk factors contribute to the occurrence of road traffic accidents and related injuries in a restricted risk area in Minna metropolis. The data obtained in this study, can be used by the road safety authorities for planning and evaluating road safety measures. The data can also be utilized by the health authorities in Minna metropolis and possibly at the nation level for planning health care delivery at Minna metropolis. The recommendations given if considered are going to benefit the public at large on prevention of road accidents. The outcome of this research can be used by Niger State Ministry of Finance i.e. by charging the road users that is not adhere to traffic rules and regulation. The data can also be utilized as baseline data in future related researches. The aim of the study is to assess the rate at which the road users in Minna comply with the traffic rules and regulations within the town. In order to achieve this aim, the following objectives were set that is; To; assess the awareness and perception of road users to traffic rules and regulation in Minna metropolis; examine the levels of adherence of road users to traffic rules and regulations; appraise the factors that influence the non-adherence of road users to traffic rules and regulations; and evaluate the impacts of road traffic rules and regulation on the road users. The theory of planned behaviour predicts an individual’s intention to engage in behaviour at a specific time and place. It posits that individual behaviour is driven by behaviour intentions, where behaviour intentions are as a function of three determinants; an individual’s attitude towards behaviour, subjective norm and perceived behavioural control (Ajzen, 1991). Ajzen (1991), proposed the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) wherein the individual’s behaviour is best predicted by one’s intentions, intentions are in turn predicted by attitudes about the behaviour, the subjective norms (a person’s perception of important other’s believe that he or she should or should not perform the behaviour) encasing the execution of the behaviour, and the individual’s perception of their control over the behavior. Theory of planned behaviour provides a useful conceptual framework for dealing with the complexities of human social behaviour. The theory incorporates some of the central concepts in social and behaviour science, and it defines these concepts in a way that permits prediction and understanding of particular behaviours in specified contexts. Attitudes towards the behaviour, subjective norms with respect to the behaviour, and perceived control over the behaviour are usually found to predict behavioural intentions with a high degree of accuracy. In turn, these intentions, in combination with perceived behavioural control, can account for a considerable proportion of variance in behaviour. In order to understand the origin of the theory of planned behaviour, a brief history is given thus; the theory of planned behaviour was proposed by Icek Ajzen in 1985 through his article ‘from intentions to actions: A theory of planned behaviour. (Ajzen, 1985) The theory was developed from the theory of reasoned action, which was proposed by Martin Fishbein together with Icek Ajzen in 1975.

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