Use of the traffic conflict technique to evaluate safety at priority junctions

Abstract

The research problem was high rate of road accidents in Uganda in Kampala district. Road junctions being also risk places for road accidents, this study investigated safety at priority junctions; Ndeeba and Nabunya junctions in Kampala as the study points. To achieve this, three specific objectives were investigated; determining the prevalence of serious conflicts at priority junctions, examining the relationship between continuous features “speed and distance” and conflicts and developing a traffic conflict model following the guidance of traffic conflict technique. The study used primary data which was collected using a camcorder at the priority junctions for 15 hours at each junction for the period of 5 days. The recorded videos were analyzed using KINOVEA software for raw results and a sample of 40 incidences was obtained for analysis. The recorded results were then exported to Microsoft excel for cleaning and coding and later to Stata software for final analysis. The findings were presented in form of frequency distribution tables and graphs, correlation analysis using the p-value and in form of a model using the logistic regression reporting with odds ratio. The study findings showed a significant relationship between speed and serious conflicts at the priority junctions with a positive moderate relationship. A significant relationship between serious conflicts at the priory junctions with distance to the collision point had a negative strong relationship. There was a significant relationship between recorded time of the conflict and serious conflict at the priority junctions. The risk factors to the occurrence of a serious conflict based on logistic regression were speed, distance, recorded time of the conflict and nature of conflict. Therefore, the researchers recommend; Establishment of Strict policies against over speeding at the road junctions, Mass sensitization of road users through media about laws that govern the road, Installation of traffic lights at high risk junctions in Kampala and the adoption of other measures which are reactive to prevent and reduce road accidents.