Kumar Sumit

Road crash injuries have emerged as a significant public health issue in many low and middle-income countries in recent years. In India, motorized two-wheelers comprise 70% of the vehicle population and are considered the most vulnerable road users. Road crash injury is common among the young-aged population leading to premature deaths. It is essential to understand risky riding behaviors to develop accurate, evidence-based risk reduction programmes that fit the target population’s characteristics and the intervention setting. The current study aims to improve the understanding of the typical characteristics of motorcycle crashes among young riders in India, primarily focusing on the prevalence and role of risky riding behaviors. Five focus group discussions with eight to ten participants in each group (N = 35) were conducted in Manipal, in the Karnataka state of Southwestern India. A thematic analysis was completed using MAXQDA software to identify, analyze, and report on themes within the data. Speeding, riding under the influence of alcohol, and the poor maintenance of motorcycles were indicated as leading causes of crashes. Furthermore, using mobile phones while riding, violations of the traffic rules, and helmet non-use were identified as other risky behaviors among young riders. Future research can be taken up in other settings for the target population. Generational awareness with the involvement of young riders, government authorities, university officials, and the Regional Transport Office can be initiated. Engaging young riders, government authorities, university officials, and the Regional Transport Office through behavioral interventions such as persuasive communication techniques, an active experimental approach (such as the use of a simulator), and regulating the licensing procedure can reduce the number of road crashes.

Road crashes are the sixth leading cause of death in India. There has been a fourfold increase in the number of road traffic crashes in India in the last four decades and an increase of 9.8 times in the fatalities associated with that exponential increase. Manipal is a coastal place with a population of approximately 50,000 inhabitants lying in between the western Mountain range and the Arabian sea. The study’s objective is to explore the characteristics of fatal road crashes in Manipal from 2008–2018 using the data pertaining to fatal crashes retrieved from the office of the superintendent of police. Furthermore, it aims to forecast crashes by time series analysis prediction. The results show that most of the fatal crashes are due to exceeding the lawful speed limit, followed by driving under the influence of alcohol and going ahead and overtaking. The time series analysis forecasted the number of fatal crashes until the year 2025 and predicted that there will be an increase in the number of fatal road crashes by 4.5%. The results also provide essential leads for initiating specific intervention programmes targeting the causes of fatal road crashes.

Background: Motorcycles are one of the most commonly used transportation modes in low and middle-income countries. In India, motorized two-wheelers comprise 70% of the total vehicle population, and motorcycle users are considered the most vulnerable road users. It is essential to understand the risky riding behaviour and associated factors among the motorcyclists to develop evidence-based traffic safety programs targeting motorcycle riders. The purpose of the current study was two-fold. First, it aimed to determine the appropriate structure of a modified version of the MRBQ among young riders in Manipal, India. Second, it assessed to what extent MRBQ factors were associated with self-reported crash involvement and violations. Methods: The motorcycle rider behaviour questionnaire (MRBQ) is a 43-item scale that assesses five aspects of risky motorcycle rider behaviour, i.e., violations, control errors, traffic errors, stunts, and protective equipment. The MRBQ, along with measures of socio-demographic variables and the number of motorcycle crashes, was filled out by 300 young motorcycle riders who were in the age group of 18–25 years and had been riding for at least the past three years (93% males, 92.3% students). Results: Five factors emerged out of the MRBQ after an exploratory factor analysis: traffic errors, control errors, stunts, protective equipment, and violations. Cronbach’s alpha for these factors ranged from .66 to .82. Reports of performing stunts and committing violations were positively associated with self-reported near-crash experiences over the past three months. Riders reporting stunts, violations and using a motorcycle of 125-200 cc reported having received more fines in the last three months. These findings were confirmed in both univariate and multivariate binary logistic regression models. Conclusion: The study assessed the factor structure of a modified version MRBQ and the extracted factors associations with self-reported crash involvement. The factor structure revealed in the current study is consistent with MRBQ factor structures found in other countries. However, the support for a relationship between MRBQ factors and self-reported crashes was less significant. The findings suggest that if replicated by future studies, local policymakers are advised to focus on the five MRBQ factors while planning future interventions to achieve a reduction in the number of road crashes among motorcyclists.