Occupational and Health Hazards, and Compliance with Traffic Regulations amongst Bodaboda Riders

Occupational health and safety is a major global concern due to high morbidity and fatalities in the transportation sector, particularly in Sub-Saharan countries. Whereas poor road conditions and signage are often cited, studies show that human error and poorly maintained vehicles and motorbikes significantly contribute to the thousands of annual road accident deaths and injuries. Failure to obey traffic rules by boda-boda riders also contributes to these accidents. In light of these issues, this study was undertaken to understand the occupational and health hazards, and compliance with National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) traffic regulations amongst boda-boda riders. Our study focused on (i) compliance amongst boda-boda riders with occupational requirements; (ii) occupational hazards facing the riders; (iii) compliance with traffic regulations; and (iv) the relationship between compliance with traffic regulations and accidents involving boda-boda riders. Egerton University was the study site, targeting all boda-boda riders on routes to and from the campus. This study used a cross-sectional survey design with stratified random sampling to select riders. The data collection methods included focus group discussion, observation schedules, semi-structured questionnaires, and key informant interviews. Ethical clearance was obtained from the relevant institutions. Analysis included descriptive and inferential statistics. Findings showed that nearly 80% of riders did not comply with boda-boda operation rules and regulations. The leading occupational hazards in this study area included acute respiratory illnesses, and musculoskeletal injuries including head and back injuries. Riders ranked fatigue (45%) and lack of training (40%) over poorly maintained roads (10%) as top causes of boda-boda accidents. Lack of training, and non-compliance with Traffic regulations strongly correlated with accidents (r = 0.89). Mandatory training and licensing are recommended for all boda-boda riders before operation, along with refresher courses on occupational safety and health for licensed riders.