Exploring the knowledge and practices on road safety measures among motorbikers in Dhaka, Bangladesh: A cross-sectional study

Introduction Road traffic injuries (RTIs), particularly motorbike injuries, are one of the leading causes of death worldwide and have been a serious concern in low- and middle-income countries like Bangladesh. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the level of knowledge and practices on road safety measures among motorbikers in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted from January 2022 to December 2022 among 350 motorbikers of Dhaka city via a series of face-to-face interviews. Motorbikers who regularly ride a motorcycle were interviewed about their road safety knowledge and practices through a two-stage cluster sampling technique. Frequency distribution, independent sample t-test and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were performed in data analysis. Results Out of the 350 motorbikers, only 54.6% had good knowledge and 16.9% had poor knowledge on the signs and safety regulations of roads. Moreover, only 50.6% of respondents followed good practices while 23.4% followed poor practices of road safety measures. One-way ANOVA analysis demonstrates that the average knowledge score was significantly (p<0.05) higher among higher-educated, unmarried and non-smokers. Additionally, higher education level, non-smoking status and being Muslim were significantly (p<0.05) associated with good road safety practices. Conclusions The overall good knowledge level and practices of road safety measures among the motorbikers was not satisfactory although the majority of them knew individual signs and regulations. Therefore, this study suggests that education and strict enforcement of traffic rules may increase their knowledge and practice behaviour regarding road safety which in turn would minimise traffic injuries and fatalities.