In this study the causes, effects, and measures being undertaken by authorities, such as Addis Ababa Police Commission, Road Authority, Health Bureau and others, with regard to Road Traffic Accidents (RTAs) and its overall linkage with human security in Addis Ababa are examined using mixed methodological approach, i.e., qualitative and quantitative. The findings revealed that, combination of factors contributed for the incidence of RTAs in Addis Ababa; human errors, vehicles defect, poor road design and poor traffic regulation enforcement. The study found the multifaceted effects of RTAs on the economy of households and the state, on the social interaction of victims and family, on the physical safety or the survival of individuals including permanent and temporal health problems. Countermeasures are being carried out authorities starting from creating awareness through education campaigns, improving road designs and enforcement of the traffic regulation of the city, though the rate of RTAs are still raising and occurring frequently. The research concludes that, RTAs have multifaceted effects on human security in Kerkos sub city and /or Addis Ababa and little attention is given to the problem, despite the increase of road crashes from time to time.
Table of Contents
Chapter One
1. General Framework of the Research
I. Introduction
1.1 Statement of the Problem
1.2 Objective of the Study
1.2.1 General Objective
1.2.2 Specific Objectives
1.3 Research Questions
1.4 Significance of the Study
1.5 Delimitation of the Study
1.6 Limitations of the Study
1.7 Description of the Study Area
1.8 Methodology and Methods of the Research
1.8.1 Sampling Techniques
1.8.2 Data Collection Techniques
1.8.3 Data Analysis
1.9 Ethical Considerations
1.10 Organization of the Study
Chapter Two
2. Road Traffic Accidents and Human Security: Literature and Conceptual Frameworks
2.1 Road Traffic Accidents (RTAs) Defined
2.2 Causes of Road Traffic Accidents (RTAs)
2.3 Road Traffic Accidents: Cost Components
2.4 Human Security: A Paradigm Shift
2.4.1 Threats of Human Security
2.4.1 Direct versus Indirect Threats and Idiosyncratic versus Covariant Threats
2.4.2 List of Human Security Threats
Chapter Three
3. Road Traffic Accidents and Human Security in Addis Ababa
3.1 Causes of RTAs in Addis Ababa
3.1.1 Road User’s Error (Human Factors)
3.1.2. Vehicles Defects
3.1.3. Road Conditions
3.2 The Effects of RTAs on Human Security
3.2.1 Economic Consequences
3.2.2 Social Consequences
3.2.3 Health Security
Chapter Four
4. Road Traffic Accidents as Human Security Threat and Measures Being Taken
4.1 Assessment of Measures Undertaken to Reduce and/or Prevent the Effects of RTAs in Addis Ababa
4.1.1 Education (Creating Awareness)
4.4.2. Enforcement of Traffic Regulation
4.4.3. Engineering Measures
4.2 Road Traffic Accidents as Human Security Threat
Chapter Five
5. Summary, Conclusion and Recommendations
5.2 Recommendations
Research Objectives and Themes
This research aims to critically assess the linkage between road traffic accidents (RTAs) and human security within the specific urban context of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. By investigating the primary causes of accidents, their multifaceted socio-economic impacts on households and the state, and the efficacy of current governmental interventions, the study seeks to address the growing crisis of road safety as a threat to individual and communal security.
- The identification of major human, vehicle, and infrastructure-related causes of RTAs in Addis Ababa.
- An analysis of the economic, social, and health consequences of road crashes on victims and their families.
- An assessment of current administrative, educational, and engineering measures implemented by authorities.
- Examination of public perception regarding RTAs as a critical threat to human security.
Excerpt from the Book
1. General Framework of the Research
People for centuries and millennia have been moving from place to place to pursue their day-to-day activities. To facilitate their movement, people use different ways of transportations including road, air, water, train etc. It is an accepted fact that of all modes of transportation, road transport is the nearest to people. According to WHO (2009) and Wade et al (2011), road transportation provides benefits both to nations and to individuals by facilitating the movement of goods and people. It enables increased access to jobs, markets, education, recreation and health care. ECA (1989) and Atnafseged (1996) noted that, road transportations have major advantages compared with others is its flexibility, which allows to operate from door-to-door over short distances at the most competitive prices. In Africa, over 80% of goods and peoples are transported by roads and in Ethiopia road transport accounts for over 90% of freight and passenger movements in the country.
Therefore, road transportation has a direct connection with the day-to-day activities of people, especially in large cities where the distance to be travelled is too far to cover on foot or by bicycle within a reasonable time. According to WHO (2009), however, the increase in road transportation has placed a considerable burden on the people’s lives. The pandemic of road traffic deaths and injuries is the major one. According to Ethiopian Federal Police (2008/09-2010/11) report, each year more than two thousand people die and ten thousand people injured in road traffic crashes. WHO (2009) asserted that road traffic crashes are the leading cause of death and disablement second only to HIV/AIDS for people under 44 years. The continuing advance of motorization in many developing countries is likely to further exacerbate the problem.
Owing to road transportation accidents the lives of peoples’ in developing and developed cities is subject to these negative outcomes. As a result, the individuals’ human security is highly threatened by RTAs that deprives their lives, health, property, etc. The problem of death and injury of road accidents is now acknowledged to be a global phenomenon with authorities in virtually all countries of the world; worried about the growth in the number of people killed and seriously injured on their roads.
Summary of Chapters
Chapter One: Outlines the research background, statement of the problem, study objectives, and the mixed-methodological framework used to analyze road traffic accidents in Addis Ababa.
Chapter Two: Explores the theoretical definitions of road traffic accidents and the conceptual paradigm of human security, highlighting the shift from traditional state-centric security to individual-focused security.
Chapter Three: Investigates the specific causes of road traffic accidents in Addis Ababa, including human factors, vehicle defects, and road conditions, and analyzes their direct effects on human security.
Chapter Four: Evaluates the effectiveness of governmental measures such as education, traffic enforcement, and engineering improvements in reducing road accidents and protecting human security.
Chapter Five: Provides a final synthesis of the findings, presenting conclusions regarding the visibility and impact of RTA-related threats and recommending strategies for future prevention and policy improvement.
Keywords
Road Traffic Accidents, RTAs, Human Security, Addis Ababa, Road Safety, Traffic Enforcement, Human Factors, Public Health, Socio-economic Impact, Infrastructure, Pedestrian Safety, Traffic Regulations, Emergency Medical Services, Sustainable Development, Ethiopia
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The research examines the relationship between road traffic accidents (RTAs) and human security, specifically focusing on how road crashes threaten the survival, livelihood, and dignity of individuals in Addis Ababa.
What are the primary themes discussed in the work?
The study centers on the causes of accidents (human, vehicle, and environmental factors), the economic and social consequences of these crashes, and the effectiveness of current legislative and engineering countermeasures.
What is the primary objective of this thesis?
The primary objective is to assess the multifaceted effects of road traffic accidents on human security in Addis Ababa and to propose informed recommendations for improving road safety.
Which scientific methodology does the researcher employ?
The study utilizes a mixed-method approach, integrating both qualitative and quantitative data gathered from primary interviews, questionnaires, and secondary data from police, insurance, and international organization reports.
What does the main body of the work cover?
The main body investigates the causes and effects of RTAs, evaluates existing policies such as traffic regulation enforcement and emergency services, and analyzes the perspective of victims and authorities regarding the security threats posed by vehicle crashes.
What are the characterizing keywords of the study?
The study is characterized by concepts such as Human Security, Road Traffic Accidents, Road Safety, Socio-economic Impact, and Traffic Regulation Enforcement in the context of urban development in Ethiopia.
How does the study define human security in the context of road accidents?
It adopts a "people-centered" definition, focusing on the protection of the "vital core" of human life—survival, livelihood, and dignity—from pervasive and critical threats like road traffic injuries.
What is the specific finding regarding the role of "human error"?
The study notes that while "human error" is often cited as the primary cause by police, it is frequently an oversimplification of complex system failures, including inadequate road design and lack of proper infrastructure.
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- Yared Debebe (Autor:in), 2014, Road traffic accidents and human security in Addis Ababa, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/271526
