Reporting behaviour of pedestrian involved accidents in Sri Lanka

Abstract

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the majority of victims of road traffic accidents are vulnerable road users, including pedestrians. However, underreporting of such accidents leads to inadequate availability of reliable data in this area of research. The present study was an attempt to investigate the severity of this problem of underreporting of accidents involving pedestrians. Primary data were collected for the purpose, and statistical techniques such as univariate and bivariate analyses, Chisquare testing, and Binary Logistic Regression were used to examine the association of several diverse factors including demographic features, severity of injury, lost productivity, and receipt of compensation, with accident reporting behaviour. The results revealed that the most common accidents (30%) involved motorcycles, while accidents due to slipping on roads or pavements and roadside structures together accounted for 33% of all reported accidents. These, according to this study, appeared to largely go under-reported, precluding further action. The study found a strong relationship between reporting behaviour and the nature and severity of injuries sustained in the accident. The lowest chance of reporting an accident was found in regard to slipping on a pavement while the injuries treated without visiting a hospital had the lowest likelihood of being reported to the Police.

Keywords

• reporting behaviour
• accident underreporting
• vulnerable users of roads
• pedestrians
• accident severity