Abstract:
Road accidents are continuously becoming a major problem in developing countries
town and subsequently cause losses of life and properties. This research aims at
identifying accident prone sites and evaluated causes and consequences of car
accidents. Distributions of hotspots are examined with the help of geospatial
techniques to evaluate and delineate road accident hotspot. Assessment of spatial
clustering of accidents and hotspots spatial densities was carried out following
Moran’s I method of spatial autocorrelation, Getis-Ord Gi* statistics and point
Kernel density functions. The GiZScore for the total accident locations in the study
area varies between -1.95936 to 2.065021 and the GiPValues from 0.038921 to
0.875373. Based on GiZScore and GiPValue western and southwestern part of the
study area particularly the local place named by Kella, Dirre gujje and Ashewa meda
clearly indicate accident hotspots. This study clearly indicate lack of driving skills,
poor knowledge of drivers and pedestrians over traffic rules and regulations,
violating speed limits by drivers, insufficient traffic law enforcements, lack of timely
vehicle maintenance, driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol, failure to
observe and respect road traffic signs, failure to give way for pedestrians, failure to
give way for vehicles, lack of sidewalks, lack of road traffic signs, improper
overtaking, improper turning and excessive loading were the major possible causes
for Road Traffic Accident ( RTA) in Burayu town. Findings from this study also shows
that drivers with an age from (18-30) are the most vulnerable, which results a total
record of 122 accidents (50.6%) within only four years. Generally, the main reason
for road accidents in Burayu Town is mainly attributed to both spatial and non spatial characteristics. It is suggested that special inspection and priority should be
given for those identified black spots sites.
