Rural-urban disparity in knowledge and compliance with traffic signs among young commercial motorcyclists in selected local government areas in Oyo State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study compared knowledge and compliance with traffic signs among young commercial motorcyclists in rural and urban communities in Oyo state, Nigeria. Information on knowledge and compliance with 10 common traffic signs was obtained from 149 rural and 113 urban commercial motorcyclists aged 18–35 years. Aggregate knowledge scores were computed and categorized as good (≥5) and poor (<5) knowledge. Overall, 98.7% rural versus 61.1% urban motorcyclists had poor knowledge of traffic signs (p < 0.05). After controlling for age, level of education and years of commercial riding, motorcyclists in the rural areas were more likely to have poor knowledge of the traffic signs (OR = 58.15; 95% CI = 11.96–282.79). A higher proportion of rural than urban motorcyclists never obeyed any of the traffic signs. Young rural commercial motorcyclists' knowledge and compliance with the road signs was poorer than their urban counterparts. Interventions to improve the rural motorcyclists' knowledge and ultimately compliance with road signs are urgently required.

Keywords:

• commercial motorcyclists
• knowledge
• compliance
• traffic signs
• Nigeria

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge Dr Shaahu for assistance with proof-reading, research staff, commercial riders and the leadership of the commercial motorcyclists unions.

Disclosure statement

The authors have no known conflict of interest.

Supplemental data

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed at http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17457300.2015.1132733.