ABSTRACT

Road traffic injuries among motorcyclists worldwide have persisted as a serious public health problem with much of the health burden in the developing countries especially the middle and low-income countries. This problem has not excluded Ghana which continually suffers from road traffic injuries and fatalities mainly caused by over speeding, non-adherence to road safety regulations (helmet usage) and poor enforcement of traffic regulations. The main aim of the study was to determine the reported incidence of motorcycle crashes at the Agona Swedru Municipal Hospital. This was an exploratory, descriptive quantitative study carried out on crash victims reported at the Agona Swedru Municipal Hospital. Purposive sampling method was used to select study samples from the population and 50 victims consented to taking part in the study. Data was collected with a structured questionnaire and data analyzed.

The findings showed that most of the persons affected by motorcycle crashes in the Agona Swedru township and surrounding areas were males between the ages of 21 to 30 years. Human errors (over speeding, drunkenness and careless riding) were found to form the major cause of motorcycle crashes in the area with low helmet usage by riders. The patterns of injuries from the study were mostly head injury, body laceration, bone fracture and abrasions with most victims treated and discharged and others referred for specialist care and crash victims were satisfied with the care received by health workers at the Agona Swedru Municipal Hospital. There is the need for education and increased sensitization on helmet usage, enforcement of road traffic regulations and reward for helmet users to serve as a positive example for others to follow.