Assessment of causes and impact of motorcycle accident disasters on the economy and ecology of kinondoni municipality, dar es salaam, Tanzania

Motorcycle transport business has become a blessing in disguise following frequent accidents which cause great loss to the individuals and the nation. This study aimed at assessing the causes and impact of motorcycle accident disasters on the economy and ecology of Kinondoni municipality, Dar es Salaam. A total of 117 respondents were involved in the study. Tools for data collection included questionnaires, observation and in-depth interviews. Socio-economic and ecological data were gathered. The findings expose that majority of the respondents perceive on-site conditions (immediate causes) to be the causative of motorcycle accident disasters, they cannot see the link between off-site conditions and accident occurrences. But, there are numerous off-site conditions (underlying causes) which were identified during the study that seem to be the causative of motorcycle accident disasters. Underlying causes are connected to human socio-economic characteristics which include factors such as age, education, training and experience, terms of employment and income. The study further reveals that a greater proportion of the public is aware of the impact of motorcycle accident disasters on the economy, but very few people recognize impact on the ecology. Existing measures and strategies to reduce motorcycle accident disasters are not doing well since motorcycle accidents and their impact are still at a high rate. Therefore, strict law enforcement and riders free will to abide to the rules and regulations are recommended as better strategies to reduce motorcycle accident disasters and their impact