Investigation of Pedestrian Health and Safety in Port Harcourt: A Case Study of Abuloma

Abstract

This study investigated pedestrian health and safety in Abuloma, Port Harcourt, to address systemic gaps in infrastructure, environmental conditions, behavioral patterns, and support facilities. The aim was to evaluate current pedestrian conditions, assess awareness and risk exposures, and recommend improvement strategies. Data analysis combined descriptive and inferential statistics using MATLAB 2024b. A descriptive cross-sectional design was employed, with 382 questionnaires distributed and 260 retrieved (68% response rate). Respondents were balanced across gender (50% male, 50% female), age, and occupations (23.1% each for students, traders, residents, and road safety officials. Frequencies and percentages summarized infrastructure and safety perceptions, while mean and standard deviation ranked environmental hazards. Correlation analysis examined relationships between environmental exposure and perceived safety, and chi-square tests established significant associations between demographics and safety perceptions. Reliability of the instrument was confirmed with Cronbach’s alpha (α = 0.78). This rigorous analytical framework ensured validity and triangulation of findings across objectives. Findings from Objective 1 revealed poor infrastructural conditions: sidewalks were rated “fair” (mean = 2.97, SD = 1.22), crosswalks “neutral” (mean = 2.94), and pedestrian signals often insufficient. Objective 2 highlighted environmental hazards—poor air quality (13.8% rated “very poor”), frequent obstructions (mean = 3.29, SD = 1.27), and behavioral risks like phone distraction (mean = 3.01, SD = 1.43). Objective 3 confirmed weak safety perceptions, with 50% of respondents feeling unsafe at night and chi-square analysis showing significant age effects on perceptions. Objective 4 established the absence of support facilities, as fewer than 20% reported access to shaded areas or rest zones. Triangulating results with literature shows consistency on high pedestrian fatalities linked to infrastructural neglect, emphasizing environmental pollution risks. SWOT analysis revealed strengths in community participation, weaknesses in infrastructure and behavior, opportunities in aligning with WHO and FRSC frameworks, and threats from rapid motorization and weak enforcement. Benchmarking demonstrated significant gaps between Abuloma’s conditions and WHO’s safe system approach and Nigeria’s Highway Code provisions. The study concludes that pedestrian safety in Abuloma is critically inadequate, exposing residents to infrastructural, environmental, and behavioral risks. Recommendations include upgrading sidewalks and crosswalks, mitigating environmental hazards, strengthening safety awareness, providing inclusive pedestrian facilities, and integrating WHO benchmarks into local policy. These measures will align Abuloma’s pedestrian environment with global best practices and national strategies, ensuring safer, more equitable mobility.