Drug Use, Driving Behaviour, Accident Rate and Passengers' Injury among Commercial Drivers in Oshodi Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract

Most drivers across the world, particularly long-distance drivers suffer from sleep deprivation, and physical and psychological stress in the line of their duties.  To prevent these, a significant number of them use substances, even at the expense of their health, to remain awake and relieve fatigue in the course of their long-distance driving. At its most extreme, this act has been identified as precursor of auto-accident, passenger injury and risky driving behaviour. In Nigeria, however, the effects of drug use on the driving behaviour of commercial drivers, and the concomitant effects of such act on the physical and psychosocial health of passengers and other road users is yet to be given adequate research attention. To this end, this study examined how substance use of commercial drivers in Lagos metropolis influences their risky driving behaviour, rate of auto-accident, and passengers' injury. To achieve the above, 478 male commercial drivers were purposively selected (ages 20-68; =39.4; SD=10) in Oshodi, Lagos Metropolis. The participants responded to Substance Abuse Prevalence Inventory (SAPI), Driving Behaviour Questionnaire (DBQ) and Accident Rate Questionnaire (ARQ). The results revealed prevalence rates of drug use (36.4%), risky driving behaviour (47.7%), accident rate (13.4%) and passengers' injury 7.5% (minor injury 4.0%; major injury 3.5%). Results indicated that frequency, quantity and total drug use of drivers independently significantly predict their driving behaviour, accident rate and injury among the passengers.