Should Traffic Offenders Undergo Compulsory "Mental Test": A Study of Mental Health and Crash Involvement Among Commercial Motorcyclists in Ibadan, Nigeria?

ABSTRACT

Government policies on commercial motorcycle crash prevention are often not driven by data in terms of mental health risks. In this cross-sectional study, data was obtained from 508 commercial motorcyclists (CMs) in Ibadan, Nigeria on psychological distress, personality, suicidality, impulsivity, substance use and Intelligence Quotient, to determine the mental health correlates of road crash involvement. One-month and 12-month accident rates were 7.9 and 28.9% respectively. One-month crash involvement was independently associated with helmet non-use (OR 2.2, 95% CI 1.1-4.7, p = 0.03) and poor knowledge of road signs (OR 2.5, 95% CI 1.2-5.3, p = 0.02). The odds of 12-month crash involvement was increased among lifetime users of alcohol (OR 2.0, 95% CI 1.3-3.0, p = 0.001) and those with fewer than two children (OR 2.0, 95% CI 1.2-3.3, p = 0.006), but was reduced among riders with primary school education (OR 0.2, 95% CI 0.1-0.7, p = 0.007). Crash involvement rate in this population is high. Results from the study do not support routine psychiatric evaluation for traffic offenders, but are more in favour of safety education and traffic law enforcement.