Abstract:
Background: Commercial bicycling has become a popular mode of transportation in Kenya, in both rural and
urban areas since early 1990’s. In Kisumu city, however, its related injuries cause significant morbidity and mortality. Many
road users have viewed their presence in the roads as the cause of congestion, confusion, fear, and decreased safety in the
roads in the road system. Bicyclists are at high risk of road traffic accidents and the attendant injuries, but are greatly
neglected and few community-based studies have investigated the problem in Kenya.
Objectives: The primary objectives were; to determine demographic characteristics of the commercial bicyclists, factors
associated with road traffic injuries and crashes involving commercial bicyclists. Other objectives were to determine the
perception surrounding commercial bicycling, and to determine preferred road safety interventions for commercial bicyclists.
Study design and Methods: Population based, cross-sectional study involving Four hundred and twenty commercial bicyclists,
five key informants, victims of road traffic crashes and injuries involving commercial bicyclists Cluster, systematic and simple
random sampling methods were used to select bicyclists at sites. Questionnaires were administered to the commercial
bicyclists; Interviews were also carried out with key informants.
Results: The majority of the respondent attained primary education (55.3%), 40.7% completed secondary level of education.
The ages of the respondents were grouped as 21-25 years which accounted for 51%, 26-30 years (21.3%),. People prefer
using bicycles because they are flexible (39%), and not time consuming (28.9%). Inadequate signals that cannot be
understood easily by other users (28.9%) and, riders losing control (19.1%) are the major risk factors. There was significant
relationship between drug taking, length of time at work and occurrence of crashes. (χ2 =7.745, p=0.001). A significant
association between injury occurrence and condition of roads was also found, (χ2=10.226, p=0.001). Road signs were
inadequate (74.5%) and those available were misunderstood. There was significant relationship between inadequate road
signs (signals), their misunderstanding within the road and subsequent occurrence of accidents (χ2= 14.305; p= 0.002).
Training for bicyclists (36.4%) and bicycle helmets were suggested as road safety intervention measures that could be
adopted (34.5%).
Conclusion: Commercial bicyclists are men aged below 40years; they are highly exposed to crashes and injuries due to their
interaction in the traffic system, since bicyclists riding in, traffic mix feel unsafe and fearful. Therefore, it is very dangerous to
ride in a mixed system because there is increased risk of crashes or accident. There are poor traffic law enforcement
mechanisms in Kenya. There is need to integrate this economic activity in the road system while minimizing risks to crashes
and injuries.