Internet-of-Things and Performance of Road Safety Management in Nairobi County, Kenya
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53819/81018102t5396Abstract
Road safety continues to pose a significant challenge in Nairobi County, Kenya, with persistent cases of traffic accidents, congestion, and emergency response inefficiencies resulting in substantial loss of life and economic costs. This study sought to examine the influence of Internet of Things (IoT) technologies on the performance of road safety management in Nairobi County. Specifically, the study evaluated the effects of driver behavior monitoring, smart traffic infrastructure, vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication, and IoT-based vehicle assistance technologies on key road safety outcomes. The study was anchored on four theories: the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), Diffusion of Innovation Theory, the Socio-Technical Systems (STS) theory, and the Systems Theory. This study adopted a descriptive research design. The target population comprised 655 key stakeholders in road safety management, including traffic police officers, insurance companies, emergency service providers, and technology firms. The sample size of 248 respondents was determined using Yamane’s formula (1967). A purposive sampling technique was employed to ensure proportional representation of all stakeholder categories. Primary data were collected using structured questionnaires, while secondary data was sourced from policy documents, NTSA reports, and scholarly articles. The questionnaire was pre-tested on 25 individuals excluded from the final sample to ensure validity and reliability. Cronbach’s alpha was used to assess internal consistency, and all constructs recorded coefficients above the 0.7 threshold. Data was analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26.0. Descriptive statistics, including means, standard deviations, and frequency distributions, were used to summarize the data, while inferential analysis, including Pearson correlation and regression analysis, was used to test the relationships between variables. Qualitative data from open-ended questions were analyzed thematically. The findings revealed that smart traffic infrastructure significantly enhanced traffic flow and safety, while driver behavior monitoring technologies were associated with improved compliance and reduced risky driving. V2V communication significantly reduced collision rates, and IoT-based vehicle assistance tools contributed to better navigation and decreased congestion. Overall, the integration of IoT technologies had a statistically significant positive influence on road safety management in Nairobi County (r = 0.743, p = 0.000). The study concludes that IoT presents a transformative opportunity to enhance urban road safety through real-time data exchange, predictive analytics, and intelligent automation. The study recommends increased investment in IoT infrastructure and policy frameworks to support widespread adoption. Further research is recommended to explore the long-term impact of IoT on road safety in other urban settings and assess the cost-effectiveness of various IoT applications in traffic management.
Keywords: Internet-of-Things, Performance, Road Safety Management, Nairobi County, Kenya
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