Application of Computer Technology in Road Traffic Control in Enugu State.
ABSTRACT
The was carried out to the extent computer can be applied in road control in Enugu state. In carrying out the , four research questions and four null hypotheses were formulated for the study.
The population for the study was 1296 persons. This consists of 460 Federal Road Safety Corps, 416 Vehicle Inspection Officers and 420 Road Traffic Police in Enugu state.
Yaro Yamene’s formula in Uzoagulu (2011) was used to determine the sample size of 214 Federal Road Safety Corps, 204 Vehicle Inspection Officers and 205 Road Traffic Police respectively, resulting in a sample size of 623 respondents.
Questionnaire was the instrument used for data collection. This consists of 60 items developed from the reviewed literature and used to elicit responses from respondents in Enugu State regarding the research questions.
Copies of the questionnaire were distributed with the assistance of five research assistants from University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State. 95% of the questionnaire was returned. Data collected were analyzed using mean while anova was used to test the four null hypotheses at significance level of 0.05.
After carrying out the necessary analysis, it was revealed that computer technologies are available to a low extent in road traffic control in Enugu State; also it was revealed that computer technologies can be applied to a great extent in road traffic control in Enugu State.
It was revealed that computer technologies can be applied to a great extent in the reduction of road accidents in Enugu State; it was also revealed that computer technologies can be used to a great extent to detect road traffic defaulters in Enugu State.
It was recommended that government of Enugu State should make available computer technology such as Intelligent Transport Systems, Traffic Signs, Speed sensors, and Radar, Computerized safety management systems, E-Call emergency machines, should be applied in the reduction of road accidents.
Air bag, seat belt, Mobile sensors, Traffic lights, Speed Cameras, Road Sensors, Electronic Signs, Semantic-web technologies, Infrared detectors, Ultrasonic detectors, Microwave radars, Magnetic loop, Camera based systems, and Laser based systems; these devices should also be applied in the reduction of road accidents and detecting of road traffic defaulters in Enugu State.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE ———————————————————————— i
APPROVAL PAGE —————————————————————- ii
CERTIFICATION —————————————————————– iii
DEDICATION ———————————————————————- iv
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ——————————————————- v
TABLE OF CONTENTS ———————————————————- vi
LIST OF TABLES —————————————————————— ix
LIST OF FIGURES —————————————————————– x
ABSTRACT ————————————————————————- xi
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study————————————————————– 1
Statement of the Problem————————————————————- 8
Purpose of the Study——————————————————————- 10
Significance of the Study————————————————————–10
Research Questions——————————————————————– 12
Research Hypotheses—————————————————————— 12
Scope of the Study——————————————————————— 13
CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
Conceptual Framework————————————————————- 14
Availability of computer technologies for road traffic control——————-27
Application of computer technology in road traffic control———————- 30
Reduction of road accidents through computer technology—————— 34
Detecting of road traffic defaulters through computer technology——— 37
Theoretical Framework————————————————————- 46
System Theory————————————————————————– 46
Risk Theory—————————————————————————– 47
Political Ecology Theory————————————————————– 47
Related Empirical Studies———————————————————- 48
Summary of Related Literature Reviewed————————————– 50
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHOD
Design of the Study——————————————————————– 52
Area of the Study———————————————————————– 52
Population for the Study—————————————————————52
Sample and Sampling Technique—————————————————- 52
Instrument for Data Collection——————————————————- 53
Validation of the Instrument———————————————————- 53
Reliability of the Instrument———————————————————- 53
Method of Data Collection———————————————————— 53
Method of Data Analysis————————————————————– 54
CHAPTER FOUR: PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA
Research Question 1——————————————————————- 55
Research Question 2——————————————————————- 56
Research Question 3——————————————————————- 58
Research Question 4——————————————————————- 60
Hypothesis 1————————————————————————— 61
Hypothesis 2————————————————————————— 62
Hypothesis 3————————————————————————— 62
Hypothesis 4————————————————————————— 63
Findings of the Study—————————————————————— 64
Discussion of Findings—————————————————————- 67
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Re-statement of the Problem ——————————————————— 72
Summary of Procedure Used ——————————————————– 72
Principal Findings ——————————————————————— 73
Implications of the Findings ——————————————————– 74
Conclusion —————————————————————————- 75
Limitations of the Study ———————————————————— 76
Recommendations ——————————————————————- 76
Suggestions for Further Research ———————————————— 77
References—————————————————————————— 78
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
In recent time, the rate of road accident is on the increase. This is as a result of poor road network, drivers’ carelessness which includes: drink-driving, over-speeding, break failure and others.
Accidents usually occur at road junctions such as t-junctions, cross roads, roundabouts, and feeder roads.
Others include hilly roads, sharp bends, bumps, and pot holes on high ways, single lane, double lane, and one ways. According to Lee (2001), poor road network as well as pot holes create room for the occurrence of accidents on roads.
Disobedient to road traffic rules also cause road accidents. Construction of roads close to peoples’ residence, shops, offices, churches and school premises also limits traffic control.
To control road traffic, traffic control devices such as traffic light, speed camera, street light, electronic signs, road sensors, radar, radio, buoys and markers, signs and signals, and people such as vehicle operators and traffic controllers are needed on the high ways and sensitive parts of the road.
Bumps can be used to regulate or determine speed limits in every road and the devices mentioned above can be used to track road traffic defaulters.
Road traffic signs and signals such as “slow down-rail way crossing, slow down-bumps ahead, slow down-children crossing, slow down-dangerous bend, slow down-danger ahead, slow down-diversion, slow down-men at work, slow down-police check point” and others can also be used to control road traffic congestion and to determine speed limit of drivers at every part of the road.
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