Abstract:
Motorcycle accidents constitute a major part of traffic crashes and emerging public
health problem in developing countries and contribute significantly to the overall road
traffic injuries. The main aim of this research study is to evaluate the impact of
unlicensed riders on motorcycle crash rates and its counter measures in the Wolaita
zone that can be applicable to any other zones in Ethiopia. This study used a multiple
linear regression models to analysis technique to estimate the impact of unlicensed
riders on the motor cycle crashes in Wolaita zone from 2013 through 2017 using
motor cycle crash data obtained from Wolaita zone districts and town administration’s
office of traffic police and department of road & transport development policy.
A key finding of the current investigation is that across all motorcycle-involved
accidents, unlicensed riders had higher rates of crash involvement and greater levels
of fatal and injury severity than legitimately riders. The impact of unlicensed riders on
motor cycle crashes was calculated as deducting of the proportion of licensed rider’s
involvement in accidents from the proportion of unlicensed rider’s involvements in
accidents. The resultant impact of unlicensed riders on motor cycle crash rates when
age of rider 25 and road width 9 meter is 29% for fatal accidents, 61.5% for serious
injury accidents, and 49.4% for light injury accidents greater compared with validly
licensed riders. Unlicensed riders are a high risk group requiring further attention
within the total driving population. As a whole, riders tend to be over-represented in
more severe road crashes. However, this pattern is particularly the case for unlicensed
riders. The study finding strongly justify the use of countermeasures, including
improvement of driver school numbers and standards in remote areas, creating
awareness to public, motor cycle impoundment, to control unlicensed riders and to
reduce crashes caused by these riders.
