GIS Approach in analyzing the Pattern of Road Accidents in Ghana: A Case Study in the Cape Coast Metropolitan Area By James Kweku Eshun & Christian Kwesi Owusu Department of Geography & Regional Planning University of Cape Coast

OVERVIEW Introduction/Problem Objectives Methods Results Conclusion & Recommendation

Introduction The introduction of the motor vehicle as a means of road transport worldwide has facilitated the easy movement of man from one place to the other. The movement of goods and services on spatial basis has also made easier and faster than ever and even much better in the subsequent generations to come. However, motor vehicle transport has also come with a high price in terms of lost of life, properties and socio-economic activities In the year 2001 alone, the country was rated the second highest road traffic accident prone among six (6) West African countries with 73 deaths per 10,000 accidents. From January to March 2003, Accra alone recorded about 1417 motor accidents involving 1225 vehicles (AFRICANEWS online – May 2003).

It has been estimated that over 300,000 persons die and 10,000,000 to 15,000,000 persons are injured every year in road accident throughout the world. Detailed analyses of global accident shows that fatality rate per licensed vehicles in developing countries are very high compared to industrial countries In Ghana, mechanical, human and environmental factors are being known as the causes of road accident in the country, most especially mechanical factor (Motor Transport and Traffic Union (MTTU) Annual Report 2004).

Records available indicates that in the year 2004 in the Cape Coast Metropolis, the number of accident cases reported were 1290 where death cases were 316 and injured cases were 1734 with 1667 vehicles involved in these accidents. In 2005, 1025 cases of accidents were reported out of which 208 deaths occurred and 1436 injuries reported at which 1375 vehicles were involved in accidents in the metropolis.

Road traffic accident has serious consequences on the nation’s economy, the casualties, families, friends as well as the society at large. The nation spent about 2% of the country’s Gross National Product (GNP) on medicals, funeral bills of casualties and repairs of damaged vehicles. This 2% of GNP amounted to 2.64 trillion cedis (US 330 million) - (NRSC, 2006). This potential labour loss is high in Ghana and the estimate of such losses by the technique of disability adjusted lost years (DALY) is about 9,000 for the city of Accra alone between 1991 and 1995 (Kissah – Korsah et al 2005). Finally, road traffic accident is responsible for large number of morbidity and mortality rate in Ghana. About 8,000 people die in road traffic accident every year (Abane, 2004). The question is where are those places of which road traffic Accidents is rampant?

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY Using Geographic Information System (GIS) to map out black spots of road traffic accidents in Cape Coast Metropolis and Assess the classification and causes of road traffic accidents in Cape Coast Metropolis

STUDY AREA

Backup Data of Road Traffic Accident METHOD DATA REQUIRED Road Map of Cape Coast (Cartography and GIS Unit, UCC) 2011 Road Accident Data from Police MTTU National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) in Cape Coast DIGITAL ANCILLARY DATA Remote Sensing Data Shape Files Banded Themes SECONDARY DATA 2011 Motor Accident Data Backup Data of Road Traffic Accident

Results

A

Road Accident Cases for 2011 Area quarter total no. of cases Percentage Cape Coast 1st 73 21.3 % 2nd 91 27 % 3rd 84 24.5% 4th 94 27.2% TOTAL 2011 342 100 % Source: MTTU, (Cape Coast, 2012).

BLACK SPOTS Black spots are those areas which have recorded a very high frequency rate of road traffic accidents within specific period of time. For this analysis black sport are places or location where road traffic accidents had occurred on more than three (3) consecutive times The total number of cases is used to set a criterion for black spot locations in the Cape Coast metropolis. Eg. Pedu Junction (33/342*100% = 9.7 %) Black spot area within the metropolis: Pedu Junction (33) UCC East Gate (30) Moree Junction (22) Nkanfoa/Third Ridge (22) Yamoransa (21) Kotokuraba (20) Siwdu (18) Kingsway (15) Abura (15)

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BLACK SPOT CONCENTRATION IN THE CAPE COAST METROPOLIS

NUMBER OF VEHICLES AND VEHICLE TYPES INVOLVED IN ROAD TRAFFIC ACCIDENT Area quarter Comm. Vehicles Percentage private vehicles percentage Cape Coast 1st 45 20.0 % 48 20.7 % 2nd 57 25.0 % 3rd 60 26.4 % 61 26.3 % 4th 65 28.6 % 75 32.3 % Year: 2011 227 10 0 % 232 100 % Source: MTTU (Cape Coast, 2012).

No. of Commercial Vehicles No. of Private Vehicles

CASUALTIES INVOLVED ROAD TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS IN THE CAPE COAST Casualty according to Road Safety Commission (NRSC 2006) refers to a crash resulting in injury, death or property damage and which involves at least one vehicle on a public road. Is also the resultant of any road traffic crash of which victims are either injured (serious and minor) or killed (fatal) within 30 days of the crash

Casualties involves in Road Traffic Accidents in Cape Coast Metropolis Area quarter fatal percentage serious minor Percentage C’ Coast 1st 4 21 % 14 20 % 54 18.4 % 2nd 73 24.8 % 3rd 7 37 % 12 17 % 107 36.4 % 4th 21% 30 43 % 60 20.4 % TOTAL 2011 19 100 % 70 294 Source: MTTU (Cape Coast, 2012)

CASUALTIES INVOLVED ROAD TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS IN THE CAPE COAST METROPOLITAN AREA

MINOR INJURIES (76.8%)

Serious Injuries Involved in Road Traffic Accidents

Time that Road Traffic Accident happened in Cape Coast Time refers to the period in which an event occur. Geographers have a strong ideology that everything exist and happens in space and time. Time under this study is grouped into morning, Afternoon and evening

Morning – 108 (30.5%) Afternoon – 97 (27.5%) Evening – 148 (42%) Time of Road Accident Morning – 108 (30.5%) Afternoon – 97 (27.5%) Evening – 148 (42%) Area Quarter Morning Percentage Afternoon Evening Cape Coast 1st 26 24.1 % 18 18.6 % 33 22.2 % 2nd 25 23% 24 24.7 % 45 30.4 % 3rd 29 26.9 % 30 31 % 31 21 % 4th 28 26 % 25.7 % 39 26.4 % TOTAL 2011 108 100 % 97 148

Causes and Classification of Road Traffic Accidents

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS A total of 9 black spots locations were identified which were comparatively competitive to each order. Most of the casualties recorded were minor injuries. Fatality rate in 2011 was relatively high compared to previous years where most of this casualty occurs at vantage junctions and corners of the roads in the Cape Coast Metropolis. Most of the vehicles involved in road traffic accidents were private vehicles Most road traffic accident happened in the evening. The most causes of RTA’s in the metropolis can be attributed to human factors. 54% increase in number of cases recorded between 2001 and 2011 (From 157 cases in 2001 to 342 cases in 2011).

CONCLUSION In all the total number of cases recorded for each road traffic accident variable has increased within a 10 year gap, that is from 2001 to 2011 irrespective of educational campaign, hence new strategies should be adpted

RECOMMENDATION Adequate and effective signs and road markings Mandatory for every driver in Ghana to go for an eye test, at least once every one year Make the use of speed cameras to capture, trap and punish drivers that speed on our trunk roads Sustained traffic safety campaign Coordinate, monitor and evaluate road safety activities, programmes and strategies Proper check up of all vehicles at DVLA for road worthy certificate Good roads and constant maintenance of roads

THANK YOU ANY QUESTIONS?

Yamoransa Junction (6) = 12 Nkanfoa/Third Ridge Junction (3)= 6 Pedu Junction (4)= 6 Nkanfoa/Third Ridge Junction (3)= 6 Moree Junction (2) = 4 UCC East Gate (2) = 4