Risk factors of road traffic accident in Kandahar

Background: Road transportation is the major system of transportation in Kandahar Afghanistan, which uses various kinds of vehicles as means of transport. According to the Ministry of Transport report MRT (2008), most people in the province rely on road transport for their daily commutation, as well as the conveyance of raw materials and food commodities The statistical profile reflects a global estimate of 5.1 million deaths in 2000, which was due to injuries that accounted for 10% of deaths due to all causes. Out of this a quarter of injury-related deaths occurred in the South-asian and Central Asian region. Currently Road traffic accident is ranked as ninth leading cause for died in world Deaths due to RTIs in Afghanistan are 2.5 per 10, 000 vehicles (EMRO Report status on Road safety). Afghanistan is third highest country for RTAs in EMRO region after Egypt and Libyan (EMRO Report status on Road safety). Kandahar is the second-largest city in Afghanistan, with a population of about 557,118 (CSO 2017-2018). Kandahar is located in the south of the country, it has 15 districts. Method: Cross-sectional study design was used for this study and purposive sampling method was used, we interviewed with only 150 injured one, attendants, drivers, and traffic officers who have a road traffic accident and are admitted and enrolled in the study only in Mirwais Regional Hospital Kandahar between 1st February and 30 June 2018. A semi structured questionnaire was used to interview injured person or their attendants in emergency room to collect data on the risk factors of RTAs. Result: This study revealed that 73 percent of the participants were in almost middle age (21-40 years) while participants economically active were highly prone to road traffic accidents. This study showed that 63 had illiterate. This study shown that 54% of drivers got driving training and 46% did not get any driving training. This study indicates 77 percent of the participants had an accident in speed (41-120/km/hour).52 percent had an accident in sunny weather and 35 percent had an accident in rainy and snowy weather. 41 percent of accident happened in narrow and asphalt roads and 17 percent of accident occurred in Asphalt roads. 96% percent of drivers said that there are no traffic signs in these roads. Most commonly affected road users are pedestrians, passengers and cyclists as opposed to drivers who are involved in most of the deaths and disabilities Generally lack of driving licenses, poor condition of city roads and highway roads, drivers smoking, failure to follow traffic signs, and driving over speed limits contributes the Major risk factors of Road traffic injuries in Mirwais regional hospital. In Kandahar most accidents occurred on Thursday/Friday. Conclusion and recommendation: 1. Improving road safety in the region should be a matter of all inclusive involving road users, policy makers and the mass media. The mass media should be used for publicity to raise the awareness in support of road safety campaigns. 2. The Kandahar Education Service should design appropriate curriculum for all levels of education to conscientise the students from the beginning so that they become aware of the consequences of road safety which would result in improved driver attitudes. 3. The theory test for applicants seeking driver license should be comprehensive to include basic knowledge in vehicle systems. 4. Traffic rule and regulation have to consider the age limitation on drivers and over 40 years’ people can drive in high and main roads. 5. Traffic department of MOIA should prepare and implement speed limitation policy and have to organize drivers training and orientation sessions to them. 6. As known that all high way roads are asphalt, but it is still narrow, all the roads should be wide and double in order to reduce the risk of an accident. 7. Specific sign boards in curve areas must be installed to reduce accident in curve area. 8. Traffic department must install traffic sign board and monitor drivers for following the traffic rule and regulations.