MULTIMEDIA-BASED ROAD SAFETY EDUCATION AND DRIVING BEHAVIOUR AMONG INTERSTATE COMMERCIAL MINI-BUS DRIVERS IN IBADAN METROPOLIS, NIGERIA

Abstract

Risky driving behaviour among inter-state commercial mini-bus drivers in Ibadan metropolis is on the increase despite governments’ commitment to stem the tide. It has negative social and health consequences. Previous studies have focused more on publicity campaigns, causes, effects and prevention of road traffic accidents with little emphasis on multimedia-based safety education interventions. This study was, therefore, designed to examine the effects of Multimedia-based Road Safety Education (MbRSE) on knowledge of and attitude to Safe Driving Behaviour (SDB) among inter-state commercial mini-bus drivers in Ibadan metropolis, Nigeria. The moderating effects of Educational Attainment (EA) and Driving Experience (DE) were also examined.

The study adopted Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory, while the pretest-posttest control group quasi-experimental design with 2x2x3 factorial matrix was used. Two motor parks (Iwo-Road - control and Ojoo - MbRSE), with multi-stop routes, were purposively selected. Seventy-eight drivers, with road safety records of risky driving behaviour and who scored 18 and above in the driving experience screening, were purposively selected from the two motor parks. The parks were randomly assigned to MbRSE (41) and control (37) groups. Treatment lasted eight weeks. The SDB Knowledge Test (r=0.62), and SDB Attitude (r=0.64) and DE (r=0.67) rating scales were used for data collection. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Analysis of covariance and Scheffe post-hoc test at 0.05 level of significance.

Majority (61.1%) of the drivers were between the ages of 26 and 41 years, 57.7% had no formal education, 18.0% attended driving schools, while 83.3% indicated ownership of vehicle. Treatment had significant main effects on attitude to (F(1.67)=71.77; partial 2=0.63) and knowledge (F(1.67)=67.3; partial 2=0.56) of SDB. Participants in the MbRE had Post Treatment Improvement (PTI) on their attitude (x ̅=56.67) than those in the control group (x ̅=36.93), while the participants in the MbRSE had PTI in their knowledge (x ̅=35.75) than those in the control group (x ̅=15.85). The EA had significant main effects on attitude (F(1,67)=4.93; partial 2=0.35) and knowledge (F(1.67)=2.32; partial 2= 0.12). Literate participants had a better PTI on their attitude (x ̅= 56.60) than the non-literate counterparts (x ̅=38.54), while the literate participants had a better PTI in their knowledge (x ̅ =34.25) than the non-literate counterparts (x ̅=18.50). The DE had significant main effects on knowledge (F(2,67)=24.64; partial 2=0.19) and attitude (F(2,67)=3.43; partial 2=0.28). Participants with high DE had better PTI in their knowledge (x ̅=35.01) than those with moderate (x ̅=22.09) and low (x ̅=13.37), while the participants with high DE had a better PTI on their attitude (x ̅=55.40) than those with moderate (x ̅=45.69) and low (x ̅ = 37.57). There were no significant two-way and three-way interaction effects.

Multimedia-based road safety education enhanced the knowledge of and attitude to safe driving behaviour among inter-state commercial mini-bus drivers in Ibadan metropolis. Interventions targeted at changing driving behaviour of commercial drivers, particularly those with no formal education and low driving experiences should be based on the use of multimedia.