Framework conditions, driivng style, and passenger falls among bus drivers in Ghana and Norway

Passenger falls in bus transport are the most prevalent source of personal injuries in bus transport in Norway, the EU, and the US. While the prevalence of passenger falls in bus transport has been documented in Norway, the EU, and the US, there is a scarcity of available data on this matter in African countries, including Ghana. Investigating different factors that influence passenger falls is an important first step in beginning to mitigate these injuries. This study investigates whether framework conditions, driving styles, and more, impact how often bus drivers experience passenger falls. For the purposes of this study, a passenger fall is defined as any instance where a bus passenger loses their balance and falls due to vehicle motion (such as sudden braking or acceleration), as well as any fall that occurs while boarding or alighting the bus. The study is based on surveys to Ghanaian (n = 281) and Norwegian (n = 285) bus drivers, and qualitative interviews with bus drivers in the two countries (n=19 and n=11). We found that Norwegian drivers report considerably fewer passenger falls than Ghanaian drivers. Work stress and time pressure, as well as bus driving experience, are the strongest predictors of passenger falls. Driving longer routes is also related to higher reporting of passenger falls. The number of dangerous intersections and stops is also a predictor of passenger falls, but not when stress is accounted for. We find no statistically significant association between a national road safety culture characterized by higher levels of negative driving behavior and traffic violations, and passenger falls. Measures to reduce passenger falls should focus on the underlying causes of driver stress.