ABSTRACT

Motorcycle crash victims form a high proportion of those killed or injured in road traffic crashes. The information relating to traffic accidents and victims represents an essential tool to control and detect safety problems in transport, to identify priority action areas and to evaluate the effectiveness of the measures used to improve safety. The main aim of this study was to assess the causes and effects motorcycle crash at Saint Dominic Hospital, Akwatia.  Among other objectives, the study identified the key social effects of motorcycle crash and its associated critical causes in Ghana. In conducting the study, the researcher adopted both qualitative and quantitative method of research as well as probability and non-probability sampling techniques to select respondents at the case study organization adopted for their views on the study. A questionnaire was adopted as the main survey instrument while 5-Point Likert scale which was later transform into the Relative Importance Index (RII) was employed to facilitate the analysis of data obtained from the field. Tools such as SPSS Version 22, Microsoft Excel were also employed for the data analysis. Findings of the study indicated the 5 key social effects of motorcycle crash evident at St. Dominic Hospital as loss of life, loss of employment and property, alteration of family unit roles, prevalence of behavioral aberrations as well as social relationship issues. Furthermore, with respect to the critical causes of motorcycle crash incidence, 3 notable ones were also intimated by the respondents’ namely: over-speeding, excessive alcohol consumption via road traffic accidents. Having noted the critical causes at St Dominic Hospital, the study recommended it strictly adheres to the improvement of road designs so as to harmonize with motorcycle effective utilization, advocacy for the incorporation of sanctions regarding laws, regulatory frameworks, policies among others captured in the study to manage the critical issues raised.