CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

This chapter is divided into the following subsections; background to the study, statement of the problem, research questions, objectives, hypotheses, significance of the study, scope or delimitation, organisation of the study and definition of key terms.

1.1. Background to the Study

Every contemporary discipline in life is associated with the concept of safety (or security). It has become a natural and integral part of any discussion, analysis and criticism of projects and development initiatives (Fellner, 2014). To conduct an analysis of the concept of safety in transportation, one should first consider the meaning of the two, usually exchangeable, notions: “safety” and “security”. According to The New Penguin English Dictionary (2001), safety is defined as “the condition of being safe from causing or suffering harm or loss”. Security, however, is described as “freedom from danger, fear, anxiety and destitution.

Safety and security may be general terms in our daily life, but the study of these in the transportation sector has been very limited, especially in developing countries. Worldwide, there are estimated to be approximately one million road accident fatalities and ten million people injured annually, many with long-term disabilities (Joewono and Kubota, 2005a).  Almost 70% of these occur in the developing or emerging countries.  Many people agree that the safety and security aspect in public transportation operation is very important, as public transportation closely relates with human lives on a larger scale or in greater numbers as many passengers happen to be riding in one car (Fellner, 2014).

Globally, several attempts have been made to address public transportation safety issues in a structured manner (Sulek and Lind, 2005). However, in order to approach safety issues besides the obvious technical aspects and the frailty of the passengers, it is important to address the fact that the Special Transport System (STS) involve people with different employers, working together in order to create functioning services. Through safety management, the work environment, communication and personal involvement could be affected. These, in turn, influence individual responsibility and the level of safety activity (Cheyne et al., 2002).

In safety research today, at least two different views on human error and human contribution to accidents could be found. One view sees human error as a cause of failure. The threat to safety therefore comes from unreliable behaviour. Thus, the primary focus of safety promotion should be clear procedures, automation, training, and discipline. The other view sees human error not as a cause, but as a symptom of systems failure. Safety is not inherent in the system and therefore, people have to create safety (Dekker, 2002).

The safety of the service may be defined as the number of accidents involving a transport mode and refers to the passengers’ fears that they are more likely to be involved in an accident as a result of using a particular transportation mode, the condition of vehicles, driving behaviour and not obeying the rules of the road. It is important that service safety is viewed from three, equally important, angles, namely, safety of passengers, safety of drivers, safety of buses and minibus taxis (McKnight et al., 1986), and it is important to note that, in order to achieve a high degree of safety, all three of the abovementioned areas must work together smoothly and efficiently. Each of the safety aspects will be briefly discussed.

With regard to international approaches to public transport safety, it is evident that various countries approach it in different ways, and that the measures adopted to improve safety often vary (World Bank 2006). In Sweden, for example, the approach has been that of quality management of the transport component of the transport organisation concerned. A programme had been introduced in France to increase the involvement of private companies in road safety related to their use of vehicles. Agreements have been drawn up between government, insurance companies, the national occupational health fund and volunteer companies. The programme focuses on motivating transport organisations to undertake road safety programmes designed to increase the awareness of the cost of road crashes to the organisation concerned, with worker compensation and vehicle insurance premiums being decreased if the programmes are implemented. Some of the programmes have also concentrated on drunk driving because of the significant role played by alcohol in both work- and non-work-related road accidents in France. In South Africa, alcohol related road accidents increased from 1.86% in 2004 to 2.55% in 2006 (Arrive Alive, 2013).

The Traffic Safety Council in Germany had promoted the establishment of voluntary safety circles in which employees from transport organisations meet to discuss critical issues and to devise solutions under the leadership of an experienced moderator. The Traffic Safety Council also runs a one-day training course on safe, economical and environmentally friendly driving. In the United Kingdom, various measures have been implemented to improve safety in organisations, and these include driver training programmes, incentive schemes, penalties, accident reviews, driver monitoring systems and driver feedback procedures. However, it is unclear whether these measures have had the desired effect (World Bank, 2006).

The goal of service safety is to reduce vehicle fatalities and injuries and the associated costs by ensuring that transport operators maintain the minimum standards for both their drivers and their vehicles. The reason for this is that transport operators in South Africa are responsible both for the mechanical maintenance of their buses and minibus taxis, and for the actions of the drivers over which they exercise control (McKnight et al.,, 1986). The profiteering nature of the minibus taxi industry in South Africa in particular, is a cause for concern as regards passenger safety, since minibus taxi operators feel compelled to maximise revenue and minimise the cost of the service, which in effect translates into overloading, wars between taxi associations, and a general failure to observe the rules of the road. Govender and Allopy (2006) asserted that “the minibus taxi transports most people to their destinations, sometimes even in record time but often, at the expense of other road users and even at the expense of their lives.”

Regarding driver safety, it is essential that transport organisations invest in research and development (and technology) aimed at enabling operators to manage and control their
vehicles better. For example, on-board computers provide public transport managers with detailed reports on the behaviour of drivers and the performance of vehicles. These reports may be used to modify driver behaviour and for accident prevention, accident analysis and accident reconstruction (World Bank, 2006).

Maunder et al.,, (1999) argued that one single factor is unlikely to cause an accident and therefore it is probable that a combination of causes would result in an accident. The factors involve drivers and their driving habits coupled with the ease of obtaining a driving vehicle licence (in South Africa), lack of professional driver training, lack of knowledge of the highway code, driver fatigue as a result of long working hours, overloading of vehicles in order to maximise revenue, drivers consuming alcohol or drugs, and speeding. The overriding factor that needs to be addressed is how to improve bus driver behaviour. Maunder et al., (1999) suggest the following as possible solutions to the problem of driver behaviour, namely, drivers should be taught the social and psychological skills involved in being safe and responsible, refresher driver training courses to eliminate the inevitable bad driving habits acquired should be encouraged, awards for accident-free driving should be promoted, medical and health checks should be compulsory for all drivers, especially those who are ageing, and the enforcement of legal maximum hours driving public vehicles should be accorded priority.

With regard to vehicle safety, it has been shown that the condition of the minibus taxis is a cause for concern, as these vehicles have the potential of causing large numbers of casualties if they are involved in accidents. Although it is a legal requirement (in South Africa) for all minibus taxis to have certificates of fitness is in itself good, the problem however is the ease with which such certificates are obtainable from corrupt roadworthy testing stations, irrespective of the condition of the bus or minibus taxi (World Bank, 2006). Overall, the factors affecting the vehicle condition have been found to include inter-alia, the lack of maintenance, worn tyres and fake parts in an effort to minimise costs, and age of the vehicles. For example, the average age of the bus fleet has increased from 10.1 years in 1991 to 12.7 years in 1996, while the average age of the minibus taxi fleet is 13 years (Govender and Allopi, 2006).

Addressing the mentioned factors may increase costs, but is likely to be less expensive in the longer term, when compared with the cost of human tragedy, vehicle replacement and other third-party costs. It is thus essential that owners and operators be encouraged to maintain their vehicles in a much higher standard than is presently, since preventative maintenance may improve both the performance and productivity of vehicles, extend the operational life of the vehicle, and reduce accidents. Furthermore, owners and operators need to understand that vehicle maintenance is sound, effective business practice which may minimise vehicle downtime and costly, time-consuming breakdowns whilst the vehicle is in service (Maunder et al.,, 1999).

In Ghana, some other safety sectors have adopted a holistic approach to safety interventions. The field of occupational health and safety has embraced the concept of a safety management system (SMS) as a productive approach to reducing workplace incidents from the late 1980s. An SMS is a process involving the broadest range of elements in organisations such as policies, strategies, practices, procedures, roles and functions that are associated with safety (Hale et al.,, 1997; International Labour Organisation, 2001; Kirwan, 1998). In the SMS approach, dealing with hazards, safety risk and accidents requires consideration of the system of work management affecting individual risk factors.

Research into public transport safety undertaken by Transport Research Laboratory (TRL, 2000) has shown that public transport vehicles in African countries are frequently poorly maintained and often overloaded, whilst the drivers themselves receive inadequate training. Public transport in many Cameroon cities is provided not only by the conventional bus but also by paratransit vehicles such as cargo. Road Safety Performance Review of Cameroon (Tsala et al.,, 2020), provided an analysis of progress and challenges in Cameroon’s road safety. Cameroon is the second African country to benefit from this expertise followed by Uganda.

Cameroon records an average of 16,583 road accidents each year, killing more than 1,000 people, according to Bang (2022), and over 6000 according to World Health Organization estimates. Despite a decrease in the number of accidents since 2012, thanks to increased user awareness, monitoring, control and enforcement activities, the number of road deaths increased over the period 2008-2014, due to an increase in the vehicle fleet (estimated at 675,000 vehicles in 2014) and the severity of accidents recorded (WHO, 2014). This human cost is dramatic. Furthermore, the related economic losses are estimated at nearly 100 billion CFA francs per year, equivalent to 1% of GDP. Compared to the country’s urgent development needs, in terms of lost investment, each year these losses represent the equivalent of around.

It is therefore urgent for Cameroon to redouble its efforts to improve the road safety situation. These was the main findings of Cameroon’s Road Safety Performance Review (RSPR), presented at a national workshop on road safety held in Yaoundé on 23 and 24 August 2018, in the context of follow up for the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety. The Review, conducted by the Ministry of Transport under the supervision of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and in collaboration with the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), presents a holistic analysis of the country’s road safety progress and challenges.  The UN Secretary General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety urged stakeholders in the country to strengthen their efforts in these terms.

The Regional Delegation of Transport in the North West Region through the Minister of Transport of Cameroon, reaffirmed the country’s political will be manifested at the highest level by Head of State who has engaged the country to lead a tireless combat against road accidents. Indeed, this highlights the numerous actions undertaken since the adoption in 2009 of a National Prevention and Road Safety Strategy, the implementation of which has however been fragmented. Among the priority actions identified, the RSPR recommends the effective establishment of the National Road Safety Committee to strengthen road safety management and coordination. safety and security aspect in public transportation operation is very important, as public transportation closely relates with human lives on a larger scale or in greater numbers as many passengers happen to be riding in one car, public transportation agencies have been neglected in Cameroon. It is with this knowledge developed in the background to the study that the researcher examine safety procedures in the  public transportation agencies in Bamenda.

1.2. Statement of the Problem

Inadequate or lack of control measures has made public transportation to be a mess as there is no monitory to check on the speed and limited number of passengers that each bus is transporting. The poor rules and regulations like the colonial transport system was meant to facilitate the movement of essential raw materials from the hinterland to the metropolitan countries via sea; while the urban system sought to promote residential segregation along racial or class lines as well as rigidly compartmentalise land use activities bribery and corruption has made public transportation seen as a laissez faire.

Many public transportation companies like Amour Mezam, Moghamo, Nso-Boyz, Vatican with extensive fleets conduct driver safety training. But when people feel rushed or annoyed by other drivers, they are more likely to ignore their training, take unnecessary risks, or forget that driving is an extremely risky activity. A person’s state of mind can lead to aggressive or careless driving, and cause collisions in company vehicles. The key to safer driving is in teaching people how to maintain focus when adverse states like frustration arise.

One of the most dangerous states for a driver is fatigue. Fatigue is often brushed off as a normal state of affairs that you endure with a bit of willpower. But when drivers become fatigued they are not “just tired” they are dangerously handicapped by physical and mental changes. Fatigue slows down reaction times, lowers attention and concentration levels, and increases errors. When drivers are fatigued they are much more likely to become distracted or stressed, or take their eyes off the road. Reaction times, situational awareness and decision-making functions fall by as much as 50% when someone is sleep deprived. In fact, being fatigued while driving is just as dangerous as drinking and driving.

Failure to recognize changing environmental and road conditions, accidents, or reduced visibility can all stem from driver inattention and complacency (Naweed, 2013). When temperatures dip, it starts raining or the fog begins, drivers need to recognize the increased risk and adjust their driving behavior accordingly. Speed, following and braking distance, signaling, and lane changes should all be considered. Drivers should also know when it’s time to pull over and wait it out or find an alternate route. It is from the identified problems that the researcher raises the study to examine safety procedures in the transportation sector in Bamenda, NWR of Cameroon.

1.3. Research Questions

1.3.1. Main Question

What are the safety procedures in the transportation sector in Bamenda, Cameroon?

1.3.2. Specific Research Questions

1. What are the safety measures existing in public transportation in Bamenda?
2. What are the challenges to the adoption of safety measures in public transportation in Bamenda?
3. What are the sustainable strategies for the adoption of safety measures in public transportation in Bamenda?

1.4. Research Objectives

1.4.1. Main Question

To examine the safety procedures in the transportation sector in Bamenda, Cameroon.

1.4.2. Specific Research Objectives

1. To identify the safety measures existing in public transportation in Bamenda.
2. To investigate the challenges to the adoption of safety measures in public transportation in Bamenda.
3. To suggest sustainable strategies for the adoption of safety measures in public transportation in Bamenda.