Study on the factors that contribute to the traffic accident in the city of Nampula

Abstract

Urban road accidents are a serious problem in Mozambique, especially in the largest urban centers. In the city of Nampula, road accidents are a social, economic, development and public health problem. For this reason, investigating the factors that contribute to traffic accidents is important for studying the mechanisms to prevent future occurrences. The work aimed to identify the factors that contribute to traffic accidents in the city of Nampula, and through them, describe and characterize the problem, in addition to proposing local solutions. The study was descriptive and explanatory, with a qualitative approach, where it was analyzed, through observation and a questionnaire addressed to 106 residents, the periods, the places, the types and the main factors that contribute to traffic accidents. The results show that the most frequent traffic accidents in the city are car-motorcycle crash and furniture crash with fixed obstacles. These are common during the afternoon and night, at intersections and junctions. It was also identified that the circumstances of the road, defects in the route, mechanical defects in vehicles, alcoholism and excessive speed or inadequate speed, are the factors that contribute to traffic accidents in the city of Nampula. It is concluded that the improvement of road conditions, civic education and accountability for motorists are the main resources for reducing traffic accidents in Nampula.