An overview of road safety management in the city of addis ababa (case study at black spot sections and review of traffic police accident record)

Abstract

Unless Road Safe Management System at Road Traffic Accident Black Spot sections of the road in terms of black spot treatment or intervention is undertaken, identification of road traffic accident black-spots (RTABSs) in the City of Addis Ababa is either negligible or only a general attempt made for the city as a whole without interventions at the most severe section or spots of the road in the reduction or prevention of injuries of road crashes. The main aim of this study was, therefore, to characterize road traffic accidents in the sub-city of Addis Ababa. For this purpose, secondary data obtained from Addis Ababa traffic police office was employed. The findings of the study revealed that road fatalities (334 -374), serious injuries (2,205 – 2,869) and property damages in Birr (20,365,227 – 72,687,411) are increasing in the study period from 2003- 2013. Among the most vulnerable group of road users, pedestrian group cumulative fatality and injury accounts (3,531 – 18,951) which is the most affected groups, followed by passengers (322 – 3,841), and drivers (165 - 949) between the same study periods. Along with group of transport system causing injuries constitute motor/bicycle 2%, automobile 26%, trucks 39%, taxi 19%, public transport 10% and others 3% in the intended periods. Next to characterizations of accident, the main objectives of the study was to see the safe road management interventions at the most severe identified black spot section of the road through observational check list with the local traffic police officers namely Kirkos Sub City, Arada Sub City and Bole Sub City. The main causes of accidents at black spots were not intervened as required: - unavailability of proper pedestrian facilities, high volume of pedestrian traffic, drivers’ fatigue, and lack of awareness of traffic rules and regulations, and violation of speed limit, inadequate sight distances at curves, no proper traffic signs, and faded road markings are usually the most common causes of accidents. The study also reveals that although one of the most venerable group of road users are pedestrian which accounts 3,531 (88%) fatality in the study period, the laxity in the provisions or interventions of safe road management system at RTABSs of road by the concerned agency like AACRA, in using low cost engineering counter measures are not capable and coordinated, consequently, the probability of other potential hazardous and black spot sections occurrences could be high and the traffic injuries is expected to become worsen and worsen. As a final point, low cost engineering measures are recommended to reduce the number of road accidents at identified black spots and other sections. However, the effect should be evaluated with appropriate safety auditing procedures for reduction and prevention of accident, and barriers for an intervention of road safe management among institution should be studied in future incorporating: institutional capacity, political commitment, funding, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation and research requirements.