Abstract:

Each year, more than 270 000 pedestrians lose their lives in traffic accidents. Traffic accidents occur for various reasons like inadequate traffic facilities and failure to obey traffic regulations, among others. This study determined the extent of compliance of the pedestrians with traffic rules and assessed whether a significant difference in their extent of compliance when grouped according to profile exists. The purpose of the study is to generate information to improve pedestrian safety. The study uses a descriptive and correlation research design. The findings indicate that the pedestrians are compliant with the traffic rules such as yielding the right of way to emergency vehicles and vehicles passing upon a highway but moderately comply with the use of pedestrian lanes and shoulder road while walking along the streets, and the observance in the use of loading and unloading zones. The findings also indicate that no significant difference exists in their extent of compliance with traffic rules when grouped according to their profile. It is concluded that the pedestrians are submissive to the traffic rules, but their failure to fully obey the regulations on using only the shoulder road, pedestrian crossing lanes, and the loading and unloading zones served as the primary cause of their involvement in road accidents.

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