Application of Geographic Information System (GIS) to road safety auditing as an option to road accident management
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Date
2000-01-31
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Abstract
Road Safety Auditing exercise was conducted within the Bomso-UST section of the Kumasi-Accra highway as a case study. It examined the success of Road safety Auditing in a GIS environment as an option for determining the risk posing factors influencing the occurrence of road accidents within the study area.
Inventory was taken of the highway and its furniture, traffic characteristics, commercial activities interfering with road safety and the general behavior of motorist and pedestrians toward to use of the road facilities. Data obtained was analyzed and the extent to which they conformed to standards investigated.
As many as 4 130 vehicles on the average traverse the study area during the morning peak hours at the rate of 2065 vehicles per hour as compared to the 3752 (ADT) from records. 5450 vehicles including turning movements traverse the Bomso junction at the rate of 2725 vehicles per hour. About 93% of the vehicles traverse the section with an average speed of 70km/h instead of the 50km/h. Relatively, large volumes of pedestrians often run to cross the highway at various places with as many as 6828 pedestrians crossing at the UST junction, 51% of them at unauthorized places.
Generally, the study area is characterized by poor illumination at night and inadequate traffic control devices. Reckless driving, inexperience, carelessness, loss of vehicular control are some of the driving errors responsible for the observed accidents within the area. According to accident records a total of 34 accidents occurred within the section between 1996 and 1998. The Bomso intersection recorded the highest making it the most accident-prone spot.
Recommendations have been made for appropriate measures to enhance safety on the highway within the study area
Description
A thesis submitted to the Board of Postgraduate Studies, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the Master of Science Degree in Environmental Resources Management, 2000