KNOWLEDGE, PERCEPTION AND SELF-EFFICACY RELATING TO ROAD TRAFFIC CODE AMONG DRIVERS OF ARTICULATED VEHICLES IN SAGAMU, OGUN STATE

Abstract

In Nigeria, the increasing prevalence of fatal Road Traffic Accidents (RTAs) involving Articulated Vehicles (AVs) is largely due to non-adherence to the Road Traffic Code (RTC) by Articulated Vehicle Drivers (AVDs). Although, health education interventions can be used to address the problem, knowledge, perception and Self-Efficacy (SE) of AVDs relating to RTC are needed in designing evidence-based educational interventions. The study was aimed to explore knowledge, perception and SE of AVDs related to RTC in Sagamu, Ogun State, Nigeria. The study was a cross-sectional survey and the sampling process involved two steps. Four out of seven motor parks for AVs were randomly selected by balloting. Five hundred consenting AVDs were selected through systematic random sampling using register kept at the motor parks as sampling frame. A semi-structured questionnaire was used for data collection. The items in the instruments included questions on respondents' socio-demographic characteristics, driving related lifestyles including their psychoactive drug use, as well as 38-point knowledge, 10-point perception and 30-point SE scales. Knowledge scores <I 8, ≥18≤ 26 and >26 were classified as poor, fair and good, respectively. Perception scores >5 and ≤5 were categorised as favourable and unfavourable, respectively. Self-Efficacy scores >15 and ≤15 were classified as high and low, respectively. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and t-test at a 0.05. Respondents were males, aged 34.0±9.1 years and those who had ever heard of the RTC constituted 50.8%. Of this sub-group, 30.3% had a copy of the code but only 13.4% had ever read it. Most (94.0%) of respondents had ever taken any alcoholic beverages and 92.5% were current alcohol consumers. Other psychoactive substances currently used included; cigarette (53.1%), Marijuana (35.5%) and raw tobacco (5.8%). Most (98.0%) of respondents sleep for less than six hours daily. Respondents' knowledge of the RTC was 19.0±4.4 while those with poor, fair and good knowledge were 46.8%, 45.6% and 7.6%, respectively. Perception score was 4.4±1.4 and the proportion of those with favourable perception was 47.2%. Respondents' SE score was 12.4±4.1. The proportion of respondents with low SE (93.8%) was significantly higher than those with high SE (6.2%). Respondents who had ever read the RTC had SE Score of 17.4±2.2, which was significantly higher than the 11.7±2.3 obtained by those who had never done so. Knowledge score of respondents who ever heard of RTC was 21.2±4.2 and this was significantly higher than 17.5±3.7 obtained by those who had never heard of the code. The knowledge score (25.0±3.1) among respondents who ever read the RTC was significantly higher than the 2.7±4.1 obtained by those who had never done so. The articulated vehicle drivers had inadequate knowledge of the road traffic code. They had unfavourable perception and low self-efficacy relating to adherence to road traffic code. Training, counseling and peer education are recommended to tackle these challenges.