Influence of Information, Education and Communication on Road Safety amongst Boda-Boda Motorcyclists in Kenyan Cities

This study sought to determine the influence of Information, Education, and Communication on road safety among Boda-boda motorcyclists in Kenyan cities. With over 1.3 million global and 4,000 Kenyan road fatalities annually, road safety has become a critical concern. This study was grounded in the Social Cognitive Theory, Safety Culture Theory, and Uses and Gratification Theory, which guide the understanding of behavioural change, safety practices, and communication effectiveness among motorcyclists. The study employed a pragmatic philosophical paradigm with a convergent parallel design, utilising a mixed-methods research approach. The researcher employed Yamane's (1967) formula to determine the target population of 399 Boda-boda motorcyclists from four cities in Kenya—Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, and Nakuru—leading to a final sample of 387 respondents. Stratified sampling and simple random sampling were used to draw the sample. Interviews were conducted with nine key informants, purposively sampled from each city, drawn from the NTSA office, the Boda-boda association, and senior traffic police officers. Quantitative data was collected from the motorcyclists by use of semi-structured questionnaires, while qualitative data was gathered through key informant interviews. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the quantitative data, while qualitative data was analysed thematically. The results were as follows: information, education, and communication, R² = 0.586, p-value = 0.000 < 0.05. The study contributes to academic discourse by emphasising the importance of integrating BCC theories into practical applications in road safety programs. The study suggests that there is a need for innovative, diverse communication strategies to improve safety and encourage responsible behaviour among Boda-boda motorcyclists in Kenyan cities.