Towards understanding road traffic accidents trends in Namibia: a knowledge discovery approach
Date
2019-08
Authors
Ochara, Nixon
Odhiambo, Nancy
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Strathmore University
Abstract
A road accident is a stochastic event involving a road user that results into property damage,
death, disability or injury. Road traffic injuries place a heavy burden on global and national
economies and household finances. With more than 13 million deaths and 20 50 million deaths
being directly linked Road traffic injuries in the world, the social, economic and political burden
presents a compromising scenario for Namibia. Many families are driven into poverty by the loss
of breadwinners and the added burden of having to care for members who become disabled
because of injuries sustained in road traffic accidents. In 2009 alone, Namibia recorded over
15,000 vehicle crashes, 4,000 injuries and about 300 deaths, and most of the drivers and
passengers injured, disabled or killed fell in the age range of between 10 and 56 years, while
pedestrian fell under 20 age categories. This posits an alarming trend that requires key
stakeholders to step in and mine relevant information from the various causative factors. Current
interventions are sporadic, uncoordinated and ineffective despite the huge economic burden
exerted by the accidents. Furnished with accurate statistical data, stakeholders in road safety
would be able to make informed decisions on road safety management such as enforcement of
legislation to control speed, drunk driving, usage of seat belts, wearing of helmets as well as
driver and vehicle fitness. This paper aims to explore different knowledge-discovery techniques
through which accident data can be selected, cleansed and transformed into meaningful
information. It will also highlight how different knowledge discovery approaches that can
efficiently be utilized enhancing decision making for effective management of road traffic
accidents.
Description
Paper presented at the 5th Strathmore International Mathematics Conference (SIMC 2019), 12 - 16 August 2019, Strathmore University, Nairobi, Kenya
Keywords
Road Traffic Accidents, Knowledge discovery in databases, Cluster analysis, Data Mining