Prevalence of Helmet Use Among Motorcycle Users in Tamale Metropolis, Ghana: An Observational Study

Abstract

Objective: To estimate the prevalence of helmet use among riders and pillion riders of motorcycles in the Tamale Metropolis of Ghana.Methods: Cross-sectional observations of helmet use were made at locations where traffic generally slowed down. Statistical analysis was carried out for variables by calculating chi-square (χ 2 ) tests to assess statistical significance.Results: A total of 3115 riders and 1058 pillion riders (passengers) were observed at 10 different sites. The overall helmet use for riders was 34.2 percent and that for pillion riders was 1.9 percent. Riders' helmet use rate was highest among the elderly (49.6%), followed by adults (34.3%) and lowest for young people (21.9%) and the observed percentage differences were significant (χ 2(2) = 67.1; p < .001). A marked difference (χ 2 (1) = 6.7; p = .0096) in helmet use was observed between riders riding within the central business district (CBD; 36.5%) and those outside the CBD (32.1%). Riders with at least one pillion rider (27.4%) were less likely to wear a helmet compared to riders riding alone without passengers (37.3%; χ 2(1) = 29.347; p < .001).Conclusion: Helmet use by motorcyclists in Ghana is generally low. There is a need for public awareness campaigns on the safety benefits of helmets to increase its prevalence in Ghana. The education on helmet use must be accompanied by sustained enforcement of the road traffic law by the traffic police to ensure compliance and change in attitudes.

Prevalence of Carrying Multiple Pillion Riders on the Route to School

“…Safety helmet use rates of 16.3% and 13.2% were observed for male and female child pillion riders, respectively. The reported safety helmet use compliance rate [8] for riders is higher than that of the child pillion riders' as in accordance with other studies [9,10,11]. A majority of Malaysian population is aware of the safety helmet law, however the compliance rate is still low among child pillion riders [8].…”

Motorcycle helmet use in Mar del Plata, Argentina: prevalence and associated factors

“…These factors are both of a personal and contextual nature. Among the former, it has been observed that women tend to use helmets more than men (Ledesma, Peltzer, Po o, & Cremonte, 2010;Papadakaki et al, 2013;Skalkidou et al, 1999), that drivers use helmets more than passengers (Ackaah & Afukaar, 2010;Bachani et al, 2012;Ledesma et al, 2010), and that comfort, aesthetic reasons and peer pressure influence helmetuse decisions (Conrad, Bradshaw, Lamsudin, Kasniyah, & Costello, 1996;Germeni, Lionis, Davou, & Petridou, 2009;Zamani-Alavijeh et al, 2011).…”

The Prevalence of Alcohol Use among Road Users and Its Impact on Traffic Crash Severity in Ghana

“…When riders detect the presence of the police on the road, motorcyclists use unconventional paths to circumvent the police roadblocks to avoid going through routine checks. By indulging in this behaviour, motorcyclists in Northern Ghana avoid the police and violate road traffic rules such as using unregistered vehicles (Kudebong et al, 2011) and not wearing helmets (Ackaah & Afukaar, 2010;Akaateba, Amoh-Gyimah, & Yakubu, 2014). For cyclists, the situation is more problematic.…”

“…This is due to the fact that bicyclists and motorcyclists are less likely to wear helmets in Northern Ghana (Ackaah & Afukaar, 2010;Akaateba et al, 2014;Kudebong et al, 2011). Thus, in the event of a crash, twowheeler riders are exposed to severe head injuries which limit their chances of survival.…”

“…It has also been noted in previous studies that there is low helmet usage among motorcyclists in the study area in question (Northern Ghana) (Ackaah & Afukaar, 2010;Akaateba et al, 2014), therefore the prevention of drink-driving and riding through increased police enforcement might also improve helmet use among motorcyclists and cyclists and ultimately prevent more severe injuries.…”