Modelling Assessment on Causes of Road Accidents Along Kilimanjaro-Arusha Highway in Tanzania

This paper aims on assessing the risk factors which are associated to the cause of road accidents in Kilimanjaro-Arusha highway 78.46km. Road accidents have been one of the paramount road cases in Tanzania. However, when ensuring road safety rules in Tanzania, it is important to assess the nature and causes of road accidents in the country. It is also necessary to find out the factors which lead to an obstacle of achieving road safety and regulations. This paper focuses on the assessment of road accidents in Tanzania and the associated factors such as inadequate road signs, inadequate carriageway width, lack of pedestrian facilities and law enforcement are considered to be critical shortcomings. The findings have shown the considerable proportions of accident and its outcomes of death and injuries at various black spot such as Kikavu River 60%, Kikatiti 20%, Nduruma bridge 10%, Kilala slope 5%, and Sadec 5%. Also missing and poor road makings and road signs from CH: 0+200 -22+600 needs to be rectified. In order to reduce road accidents in Kilimanjaro-Arusha section, the Government should rectify black spot areas by considering geometric standard in highway, set aside fund for provision and maintenance of traffic control devices, train road users on traffic laws and regulations, set aside fund for increasing road width with consideration of dual carriage way and climbing lane along mountain Kikavu area to reduce the action of overtaking. This study has revealed the pattern and trends of road accidents in Kilimanjaro-Arusha from 2013 to 2016. It shows that the accident occurrence was showing sign of decreasing from 2015 up to 2016. Passengers and pedestrians are the groups which identified to be always at highest risk of being injured or highly prone to motor traffic accidents. Driving under alcoholic behaviour (drugs, alcohol), distraction, over speed driving, overtaking, poor vehicle parking management and pedestrian fault are among of road user behaviour identified to cause accidents within the stretch.