RISKS INVOLVED IN JOURNEY TO SCHOOL AND ACCESS PATTERN AMONG SCHOOL CHILDREN IN BENIN CITY, EDO STATE, NIGERIA

Aiworo, Barry A.

Department of Urban and Regional Planning,

School of Environmental Studies,

Edo State Polytechnic, Usen, Benin City.

Email: aiworo.ba@esitmusen.edu.ng, aiworobarrya@gmail.com

                                                   ABSTRACT

This paper examines the risks involved in journey to school and access pattern among school children in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria. The risk includes accident, molestation (sexually) and kidnapping. A sampling ratio of twelve percent (12%) was taken from 396 schools in Benin City. By implication, 49 schools were randomly selected in Benin City for this research. A total of 42,053 students in the 49 schools constitute the sample frame for the research. Two percent (2%), 841 students were taken as the sample size. The use of stratified sampling method was applied by stratifying the study area (Benin City) into local governments- Egor, Ikpoba-Okha and Oredo. Thereafter, the lists of schools in the various local governments were obtained from the Ministry of Education before the schools for research were randomly chosen from each local government area. The analysis revealed that 6.7% of the total students interviewed have been involved in road accidents. 1.04% of the total respondents said at one time or the other that they have been kidnapped. Finally, the research found that travel is comparatively safe and believes this may be partly attributable to safer route to schools and school children being more familiar with the school journey. The research indicates that children aged between eleven and fifteen are most at risk of hit or knocked down on Benin City’s roads. These findings may help in planning and targeting road safety initiative (education, campaigns) in Benin City.

Keywords: Accident, Molestation (Sexually), Kidnapping, Pedophile, Pedestrian