Climate Factors and Non-Fatal Road Traffic Injuries Among Different Road Users

Abstract

Injuries from road crashes remain a significant public health concern globally with a disproportionate burden in low- and middle-income countries like Ghana. While climate factors have been linked to crashes, the impact of injuries across different road user categories in urban Ghanaian settings remains poorly understood. This study sought to investigate the association between climate factors (temperature and rainfall) and non-fatal road traffic injuries among pedestrians, motorcyclists/tricyclists, and vehicle occupants in the Greater Kumasi Metropolitan Area of Ghana. The analysis combined road traffic injury data (N=8,772) (2010-2021) with climate data for the same period. Vehicle occupants were the largest proportion of injuries (42.4%, n=3,720), followed by pedestrians (33.5%, n=2,936) and motorcyclists/tricyclists (24.1%, n=2,030). Each millimetre increase in monthly rainfall was associated with increased injury risk across all road user types: pedestrians (1.7%, 95% CI: 0.6-3.0), motorcyclists/tricyclists (1.7%, 95% CI: 0.2-3.1), and vehicle occupants (1.6%, 95% CI: 0.4-2.7). The Kwadaso district experienced increase injury risk from 2010 to 2021, with relative risks increasing approximately sevenfold across all road user types, while the Kumasi Metropolitan area maintained consistently lower risk levels (RR: 0.4; 95% CI: 0.3-0.5). This study demonstrates significant associations between rainfall and non-fatal road traffic injuries across all road user types in Greater Kumasi Metropolitan Area of Ghana, with distinct spatial patterns of risk. These findings suggest the need for weather-responsive traffic management systems and user-specific safety interventions, particularly in high-risk districts with major highways.