Citation

Danesi JA. Inj. Prev. 2012; 18(Suppl 1): A97-A98.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, BMJ Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1136/injuryprev-2012-040590d.4

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Background Informatiion It has become a common practice in Lagos Metropolise and other major cities in Nigeria to see commercial vehicles and motor bikes driving on public pedestal walkways especially during rush hours when there is heavy traffick. Some motor bikes and motor vehicle drivers especially the commercial vehicle drivers drives on pedestal walkways even in the presence of law enforcement official around without any sanction, thereby forcing school children and other people walking to jump into the main road to avoid being knock down. Sometimes children walking on the pedestal walkways are knock down and are injuried.Aims/Objectives/Purpose This study was conducted to: • Analyse the impact of driving on Pedestal walkways on children safety in Nigeria;• Capture children perception of their safety while walking on the pedestal walkways;• Draw the attention of the government and policy makers to put in place laws, regulations and appropriate sanctions to deter motor vehicle drivers from driving on pedestal walkways;• Draw the attention of the law enforcement officials to the danger that motorbikers and motor vehicles driving on the pedestal walkways pose to children and others.Methods The study was carried out in 5 out of the 20 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Lagos State.The study involved the documentation of accidents involving children being knock down by of motor vehicle and motorbikes on pedestal walkways for a period of 1 year from February 2010 to January 2011.The study was carried out with the aid of shop attendants that work in shops located close the pedestal walkways. The shops attendants were recruited to monitor and document inccidents of motor bikes and motor vehicles driving on pedestal walkways and accidents involing children between age 1 to 10 years old.The second part involve using key informat interview to determine the perception of children about their safety while walking on pedestal walkway dialy to and from school. 10 children (mainly school children) were interviewed in each of the 5 LGAsResults/Outcome The results shows that commercial vehicles and motor bikes drives on the pedestal walkways daily especially when there is traffick.The data gathered from the studx sites revealed that an average of 50 children are knocked down within the 5 Local Government by motorbikes and commercial vehicles monthly while walking on pedestal walkways. So for the 12 months that the study was carried out about 600 children were knocked down by motor bikes and motor vehicles.The result of the key informat interview shows that 89.3% of the total number of children interviewed said their are not safe walking on the walkways while motor bikes and motor vehicles drive on the same pedestal walkways while 10.7% said they don't know whether they are safe walking on the pedestal walkways while motorbikes and vehicles drive on the walkways.Significance/Contribution to the field The study was able to monitor and document accidents that happened in the pedestal walkway involving children, capture children perception of their safety while walking on the pedestal walkways; draw the attention of the government and policy makers to put in place laws, regulations and appropriate sanctions to deter motor vehicle drivers from driving on pedestal walkways, thus improving safety for children as they walk to and fro school daily in the streets of Lagos metropolise..

This is an abstract of a presentation at Safety 2012, the 11th World Conference on Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion, 1-4 October 2012, Michael Fowler Center, Wellington, New Zealand. Full text does not seem to be available for this abstract.