ANALYSIS OF VEHICULAR TRAFFIC COUNTS AND ACCIDENTS OCCURRENCES ON SELECTED MAJOR ROADS IN MINNA, METROPOLIS OF NIGER STATE NIGERIA

Abstract

The study Examine the vehicular traffic counts across the days of the week on the selected major roads in Minna metropolis for establishing the level of flows and accidents occurrences. The method adopted for the study was the employment, training and distribution of thirty (30) students of SSS3 of Zarmai Model secondary school to serve as a team of research assistants for vehicular counting so as to obtain accurate and reliable results manually. This was due to the unavailability of digital traffic counting devices.  The five (5) major roads had (6) students each stationed at the Roundabouts of the major roads to count and record the various types of assigned vehicles, one (1) student each was assigned to the five(5) major roads to record the road traffic accidents and Black spots locations along the roads .The 5 selected vehicles are; Cars Buses, Trucks tricycles and  motorcycles  The traffic count was restricted to days (Mondays-Sunday), and conducted at three different time epochs (7am-10am 12pm - 2pm, 4pm-6pm), for a duration of one week, after which the percentages  of the recorded counts was computed and  documented. The results from the  five (5) major roads traffic counts  within the period of (7am-10am, 12pm-2pm, 4pm-6pm) reveals tricycles, accounted for 2,704 (28.13%), motorcycles, 2,589 (26.27%), Cars 2,480 (25.80%, Buses 1,374 (14.30%), and Truck 443 (4.63%), with a total of 34 road traffic accidents recorded, out of which  60 people were involved , 25 injured , no death recorded, 28 black spots were identified to be of more risks with the highest roads crashes recorded between 7am-10am. ANOVA t-test was carried to determine the difference between road traffic accident and vehicular traffic count. Among the recommendations are; comprehensive weekly researches should be done in all Local Government Headquarters to compare the crashes records from FRSC, VIO, Police and other traffic agencies; Driving and vision test to be conducted on monthly bases to ascertain the effectiveness and sight viewing of the drivers; Traffic warders and other roads traffic enforcement agents should be position in all locations throughout the days of the week to arrest and charge the offenders.