Browsing by Author "Okeowo, Oluwatimilehin Oluwaseun"

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    Investigating quality of data and the need for the restructuring of accident report form in South Africa
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2018-03) Okeowo, Oluwatimilehin Oluwaseun; Van Schalk wyk, Dirkse Theuns; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Engineering. Dept. of Industrial Engineering.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: reliable data quality system is a priority to all organisations or departments around the globe. Quality data is of great value to the agencies managing the road traffic system in South Africa in such areas as improvement of road safety complications, reconstruction of roads, advocating for adequate resources, strategising new public safety campaigns, and strengthening the enforcement of road policies to curb prevalent road accidents. The quality of the road accident data compiled at local level, according to complaints from the data users [data consumers], is alleged to be inaccurate, inadequate with regard to the relevant data demanded by the data users. Due to this effect, a need for a continuous and efficient assessment plan is considered at the local level [municipality level], where the preliminary data collection process is initiated, with the objective of uncovering and discarding the existence of errors or anomalies which frustrate the chance of raising the quality of the data processed at the provincial level. In an attempt to have a detail understanding on these anomalies, however, objectives of this study are to investigate and evaluate the anomalies that exist during the reporting and recording of road accident data at the Stellenbosch Traffic Department under the jurisdiction of the Stellenbosch Municipality-Western Cape 024, and the necessity for the improvement of the Accident Report form to accommodate more information and better understanding of its application. These objectives are achieved through research questions designed to guide the methodology applied to execute the investigation. These questions cut across how simple and comprehensible the Accident Report form is to the users, and the practicality of the information provided in the form in understanding causes of road accidents and in managing resources in preventing road accidents in the Stellenbosch area. In this case, the methodology applied is based on the four-stage approach model, which includes the understanding and evaluation of the process engaged in the traffic department, in order to have a big picture about the vulnerable areas and the responsible factors affecting the quality of data collected through the use of Accident Report form. The methodology also incorporates the collection of the right data by assessing the information completed in the form through definite dimensions and metrics, and also a questionnaire was developed to substantiate both quantitative and qualitative data collection processes which involved the participation of the South African Police Service, as one of the authorised data collectors in the Stellenbosch. With the aim of making this investigation a successful one, the analysis of the data collected was performed to determine the persistent accumulation of errors per data field in the Accident Report form, and the practical evaluation of data usability as applicable to the road accident occurrence within the Stellenbosch area, coupled with the analysis of the applicability of the Accident Report form through the understanding of the data collected with questionnaire. These analyses are practically achieved through the introduction of the statistical base methods to measure the average scores and the frequency distribution of errors per field in each related factor defined, and also to display the interpretation of results achieved to illustrate the consequence of road accidents on the Stellenbosch environs. Currently, the findings acquired demonstrate that huge proportion of errors were detected in the data completed in the Accident Report forms. The nature of errors determined indicates that human inaccuracies have paramount influence on the data completed in the form, which is attributable to the excessive level of negligence existing along the data processing line. This effect is ascribed to haphazard execution of the training and validation processes, and untimeliness in the processing of information, which probably complicate the level of quality of the data captured. A framework is developed as part of the objectives of this study to support an improved application of the quality dimensions along the road accident data processing line at the Stellenbosch Traffic Department. This framework strengthens the ability of both the reporting officers and the supervisory officers to adopt a zero-tolerance approach towards the existence of errors along the data processing line between the two authorised local departments. The practicality of the data analysed as regard the consequence of road accidents on the Stellenbosch environs demonstrates that more road accidents occurred during the dawn periods [7:00 am to 7:59 am] and dusk periods [4:00 pm to 4:59 pm], most frequently in the winter periods, within a speed limit of sixty kilometres per hour, mostly on Fridays and Thursdays within the built-up areas on both the dual and single carriageways. The findings further indicate that road accidents occurrence involved more male drivers/cyclists, under the age of forty years, either more as South Africans or less as foreign nationals. However, the findings gathered from the survey analysis shows that some form users are facing challenges during the data collection activities, where crucial concerns were raised regarding the construction of a detailed accident sketch and description. This calls for a better training for the form users on how to construct a detailed sketch and description in accordance with the necessary features required. Moreover, some valuable and relevant improvements were determined in the areas like information arrangement, information interpretation, and addition of new information where necessary.