Project Materials

EFFECT OF A NURSE-LED TRAINING PROGRAMME ON KNOWLEDGE OF RISKY BEHAVIOURS AMONG MOTORCYCLE OPERATORS

Chapter one

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Transportation is a fundamental and necessary component of any human activity, and it has a significant impact on the interactions that occur when people with similar interests live together.

It is critical to the survival of urban communities because it serves as the foundation for interaction, vocation, leisure, and residential choice (Oluwaseyi, Edward, Eyinda, & Okoko, 2014).

Once a country has decided to embark on a large-scale development of its transport system, it must ensure that it not only improves access to citizens’ places of employment and residential areas, but also in a safe and healthy manner, with the risks of death and long-term disabilities eliminated or reduced to the bare minimum (Lukasik and Szymanek, 2012).

Nigeria has endeavoured to create its own transport system that meets international standards. Several motorised modes of transportation have been used, including buses, minibuses, and taxis.

These traditional modes of public transport were besieged by recurring and worsening problems such as rapid industrialisation, poorly planned urbanisation, collapsing infrastructure and road networks, population explosion despite a steadily decreasing number of vehicles, resulting in congestion, long waiting and travel times at bus stops and inadequate security.

This necessity increased the demand for motorcycles among many commuters who previously struggled to get to and from their homes or offices (Olubomehin, 2012).

The failure of the traditional ways of commuting from one location to another resulted in the creation and perpetuation of the commercial motorbike as an established mode of transportation in Nigeria.

Motorcycle operators are becoming integrated into Nigerian communities, making them more accessible (Olubomehin, 2012). According to Oluwaseyiet al. (2014), commercial motorcycles are used to transport people within and around Nigerian cities.

The expansion of the commercial motorcycle vocation was further aided by relatively lower spare parts, maintenance costs, and improved fuel economy, which increased patronage and made it a thriving vocation (Olubomehin, 2012). Motorbike crashes continue to contribute to the annual increase in fatalities and permanent disabilities.

Motorcycle accidents cause approximately 1.2 million deaths and 50 million injuries worldwide each year, with approximately half of all fatal road traffic accidents involving pedestrians, motorcycle operators, or motorcycle commuters (Oluwaseyiet al., 2014).

The prevalence of motorcycle-related traffic crashes appears to be directly proportionate to the nation’s expanding motorbike operator population.

Motorcycles also cause considerably more fatal and severely devastating accidents per unit of distance travelled than ordinary vehicles (Olubomehin, 2012).