Road Traffic Crashes (RTCs) are the leading cause of death in Ghana. Financial cost of US$128 million annually, being 1.6% of GPD (Adonteng, 2007) Highly quantitative research data (20 articles reviewed) Concentration of road safety campaigns on alcohol use and wearing of seatbelts The need to employ narrative and visuals to communicate risk in the road traffic sector.

1. The Nexus between Road Traffic Fatalities, Religion, and Safety
Rubrics in Ghana:
The Role of Communication and Advocacy
Prosper Yao Tsikata

2.  Road Traffic Crashes (RTCs) are the leading cause of death in Ghana.
 Financial cost of US$128 million annually, being 1.6% of GPD
(Adonteng, 2007)
 Highly quantitative research data (20 articles reviewed)
 Concentration of road safety campaigns on alcohol use and wearing of
seatbelts
 The need to employ narrative and visuals to communicate risk in the road
traffic sector.
Introduction and Research Context

3. 0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
1994 1998 2007 2011
Series 1
Deaths from RTCs in Ghana

4.  RTCs account for a large proportion of all deaths and
morbidities on the African continent.
 In Ghana, Zimbabwe and Kenya, traffic crashes were cited as
number one cause of injury and death
 In South Africa, RTCs came second to violence, but ten times
that of the United States
Continental Deaths from RTCs

5.  Over-speeding and over-loading.
 Non-observation of traffic rules.
 Lack of effective and continued law enforcement.
 Poor road design and maintenance
 Alcohol and drug use by drivers
 Non-Standardized method of driver testing and licensing
Main Causes of RTCs in Ghana

6. Alteration of Seats

7. Imminent Danger on Vehicles

8. Overloaded Buss

9. Overloaded Truck

10. Enforcement Failures

11. Police Traffic Patrol

12. In 2009, the city of Chicago raised US$64
million from 376 cameras at 187 red light
intersections
Enforcement in other Jurisdictions

13. Passengers believe they are protected by God
Forjouh (1996) bemoans the attitude where fatalities
are viewed in many developing countries as random,
haphazard events, and “even as acts of God.” With the
tendencies to regard road fatalities as acts of God, the
causes are neglected and the cycle is repeated (Forjouh,
1996, p. 91)
Initial Observations and Interviews

14. Melinder (2007) reveals that being a non-wealth
Catholic country leads to more traffic accidents
than being a wealthy Catholic country in her study
of 15 European countries.
Type of religion influential to safety value system
Religion and Safety Values

15.  i. Are there any relationships between the religio-cultural
beliefs of the Ghanaian and his/her attitude towards risk
relating to RTCs?
 ii. Does the medium of narratives, stories, films, and photos
provide a reflexive entry into issues of RTCs, through affinity
with emotions to stimulate grassroots dialogue?
Overarching Research Questions

16.  i. How do you protect yourself on buses where there
are imminent dangers? (reference photo)
 In case of an accident, does the limited space on the
buses limit your chances of survival?
 Mention or list some of the rule enforcement by the
police that you have witnessed
 Do you think traffic law enforcement has been
effective?
 What are your religious views with regard to
accidents?
Specific Research Questions

17. Research Methodology
Secondary Research
 Further review of literature to
understand the toll of RTCs
and its trends on the Ghanaian
society
Primary/Qualitative Research
 Participant Observation (switching
between completeparticipantand
complete observerroles (Gold, 1958)).
 Use of participatoryphotography
(Ellingson, 2009).
 Combination of purposive and snowball
samples for interviews

18.  Rich quotes from transcripts, field notes, participants’ photos,
providing thick and descriptive narration of events will be
interwoven, while delineating and highlighting differences and
similarities of participants’ voices, experiences, perspectives,
layered accounts, personal reflections and the observed actions
of participants and the meanings they assigned to those actions
(Ellingson, 2009, p. 8).
Analysis

19. Use of results – narratives and photos from the
research work to design a communication and
advocacy material for a grassroots
communication campaign
Communication and Advocacy