Okada (motorcycle taxi)

Okada in Kano, Nigeria

Okada refers to commercial motorcycles in Nigeria, where motorcycle riders carry passengers for hire. It is one of the chief modes of transport in Nigeria and, by far, the most common form of informal transport system in that country. The popularity and widespread acceptance of okada has rapidly risen in recent years. Unfortunately, the rise of okada has been accompanied by increased levels of high-risk behavior and accidents on Nigerian roads; as a result they have come under heavy flak culminating in legislations restricting or prohibiting their operations in some Nigerian cities.

The Roles of Okada in the Nigerian Society

Okadas have adapted easily to the prevailing economic climate in a contemporary Nigerian society plagued by a dearth of taxi and bus services, hypercongestion, and the poor state of roads. Also, they have become a ubiquitous feature of Nigerian cities because of their low cost of purchase and fuel efficiency. However, they are usually more expensive for consumers than other forms of road transport.

Okadas in Kano, Nigeria

The survival of okadas during fuel (gasoline) shortages in Nigeria is preserved by their superior fuel economy. Motorcycle fuel efficiency benefits from the relatively small mass of the vehicle, compared to its passengers and to other motor vehicles, and subsequent small engine displacement. During fuel scarcity, okadas quickly become the dominant form of transport. This has led some to allude that they may be responsible, at least in part, for fuel crises in Nigeria. Furthermore, a weak mass transit system has spawned the use of these alternate means of transport. Okadas are also able to navigate and travel roads where no car has gone before - especially true in villages, and urban slums. Okada riding has been described as “a unique experience” by regular passengers and tourists. In the major cities e.g. Lagos, where traffic congestions (and inevitably, delays) represent an ever-present threat to businessmen, government workers, students of various schools and colleges, okadas come into play, with their smaller design they are able to weave through traffic, and literally rescue countless helpless customers from the organized chaos on Nigerian roads.

The Okada Driver and Okada Passenger Profiles

A study carried out in 1993 in Yola, a medium-sized city in the north-eastern state of Adamawa, Nigeria, provides additional insight into the nature of the okada business. The study showed that about 88% of the okada riders were aged between 18 and 30 years and only 47% of them received formal education of any form. The 1993 survey also elicited information from 106 motorcycle users. Customers were generally: male (65%); young adults between 18 and 30 years of age (57%); in possession of a diploma from a secondary school or higher (83%); unemployed but in the job market (59%); and of low-to-moderate income levels (45%). Okadas were valued mainly because they were fast and readily available. Customers disliked them because they were considered to be unsafe (stated by two-thirds of respondents) and expensive (stated by 43% of respondents). The survey of okada customers in Akure also revealed customer concerns over safety – 61% felt operators drove too fast and 31% felt they drove too recklessly. Left with few mobility options, many patronize okadas well knowing the significant risks involved.

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The Okada Menace

Further information: Motorcycle § safety

Accidents

Okadas, like all motorcycles elsewhere, have a far higher rate of crippling and fatal accidents per unit distance than automobiles. A study conducted in the USA in 2004 showed that While about 15.0 cars out of 100,000 ended up in fatal crashes, the rate for motorcycles was 69.3 per 100,000.
A 1998 study at the Obafemi Awolowo Teaching Hospital, Ile-Ife, Nigeria, showed that injuries to limb the occurred in 79.3% of patients who reported at the emergency department of that hospital. The same study also stated the male: female ratio of accident victims to be around 2.8:1, and identified the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) to be practically nonexistent among most okada riders.

Causes

• Given the common incidence and serious consequences of motorcycle accidents, there has been surprisingly little study of their causes. The only major work done on this subject in the USA is the Hurt Report, performed around 1980 in the Los Angeles area. One of the central conclusions of the report was this:

The failure of motorists to detect and recognize motorcycles in traffic is the predominating cause of motorcycle accidents. The driver of the other vehicle involved in collision with the motorcycle did not see the motorcycle before the collision, or did not see the motorcycle until too late to avoid the collision.

• However, in Nigeria, the reverse may in fact be true – the vast majority of okada riders do not pay attention to road signs and other motorists.

• Other causes of motorcycle accidents involve unlicensed and untrained riders. In some parts of Nigeria, okada riders make their commercial debut after a few hours of training sessions. Underage okada riders are not a rarity on Nigerian roads.
• Drunk or drugged riding.
• Shared-rides involving two or more passengers.
• The poor state of Nigerian roads, which are typically riddled with pot-holes.
• Graft and corruption among the road safety officials, and the Nigerian Police, both of whom are easily induced into condoning traffic misdemeanors when given bribes.

Consequences of Accidents

Once the collision has occurred, or the rider has lost control through some other mishap, several common types of injury occur when the bike falls:

• Collision with less forgiving protective barriers, or badly placed roadside "furniture" (lampposts, signs, fences etc.) This is often simply a result of poor road design, and can be engineered out to a large degree. Note that when one falls off a motorcycle in the middle of a curve, lamps and signs create a "wall" of sorts with little chance to avoid slamming against a pole.
• Concussion and brain damage, as the head violently contacts other vehicles or objects. This risk is massively reduced by wearing properly fitting, standards-approved head protection.
• Breakage of joints (elbows, shoulders, hips, knees and wrists), fingers, spine and neck, for the same reason. The most common breakages are the shoulder and the pelvis.
• Soft tissue (skin and muscle) damage (road rash) as the body slides across the surface at speed. This can be prevented entirely with the proper use of motorcycle-specific protective apparel such as a leather jacket or reinforced denim and textile pants. There is also a condition known as biker's arm, where the nerves in the upper arm are damaged during the fall, causing a permanent paralysis of arm movement.
• Facial disfigurement, if in the absence of a full-face helmet, the unprotected face slides across the ground. Note though that this is in fact quite a rare occurrence.

Okada and Crime

The rise of okada has been linked to an increase in the crime rates in cities throughout Nigeria, particularly in the city centers, urban slums and, red light districts. This criminal activities range from (the typical) snatching of personal effects (e.g. mobile phones, purses, bags) to abduction, grand larceny, and (political) killings.

Other Issues

Okadas have been criticized for their roles in causing or exacerbating traffic congestions in the cities where they operate. Cases also occur of gang beatings where okada riders take on offending/innocent motorists during accidents. Fights have been known to flare up in rioting, and setting of vehicles on fire.

Proposed solutions

Use of Personal Protective Equipment

To address the risks of motorcycling, before and after a fall, motorcyclists and their customers should use personal protective equipment (PPE, or more commonly "motorcycle gear"). Many developed countries now require certain articles of PPE, and manufacturers and governments recommend its extensive use.

Functions of PPE

• Improved Visibility — Although for decades the popular image of the motorcycle rider has been of someone clad head-to-toe in black leather, in the light of the Hurt Report findings, and the day-to-day experiences of motorcyclists themselves, many riders choose higher-visibility gear. Bright colors and retroreflective strips are common on quality equipment.
• Abrasion Resistance
• Padding
• Weather Protection — One important aspect of PPE not mentioned above is protection from the elements. Motorcyclists exist in very close contact with nature, unlike car drivers who are essentially indifferent to it. Extreme weather can make a long ride unbearable or dangerous. PPE provides protection from wind, rain and cold.

PPE list

• Helmet Gloves — Commonly made of leather, cordura, or Kevlar, or some combination. Some include carbon fiber knuckle protection or other forms of rigid padding. Gloves designed specifically for motorcycle use have slightly curved fingers and the seams are on the outer surfaces to allow the motorcyclist to maintain his grip and control on the handlebars and clutch/brake levers.
• Jackets — Generally made from leather, ballistic nylon, cordura, kevlar or other synthetics. Most jackets include special padding on elbows, spine and shoulders.
• Pants — Made of the same material as jackets, usually including special protection for the knees and hips. One company even makes a pair of cotton denim jeans with kevlar reinforcement.
• Boots — Especially those for sport riding, include reinforcement and plastic caps on the ankles, and toe area. Boots designed for cruiser-style riders often have steel-reinforced toes. Boots should always have a rubber sole (as opposed to leather or other less-flexible materials). Despite their toughness and protection, most boots are very lightweight. Some include even titanium plating.
• Goggles or Helmet Visor — Eye protection is of utmost importance - an insect or a kicked-up pebble in the eye at speed has enough momentum to cause significant damage. Such an event could easily cause the rider to lose control and crash. Besides this danger, squinting into the wind is unpleasant at best and watering eyes are quite distracting.
• Ear plugs — Most riders experience substantial wind noise at speeds above 65-80 km/h; at speeds of 104-112 km/h, hearing damage can occur in as little as 15 minutes. Ear plugs help protect against hearing damage, and reduce fatigue during long rides.
• Vests — Made with high-visibility colors and retroreflective materials, vests can be worn over jackets to increase the chance of being seen and allow drivers to better judge the speed and position of riders, especially in adverse conditions of dark and wet.

Note: It is increasingly common for gloves, jackets, pants, and boots to be outfitted with hard plastics on probable contact areas in an effort to ensure that when a motorcyclist contacts the ground, his clothing will permit him to slide relatively easily as opposed to "crumpling", risking injury to body parts being stressed in abnormal directions.

Training

In many developed countries riders are now either required or encouraged to attend safety classes in order to obtain a separate motorcycle driving license. The Federal Road Safety should not issue indiscriminate licenses to okada riders. Learner motorcycles should be made available in driving schools. A "learner motorcycle", ie one that can be used before a full driving license is obtained has an engine "up to 125 cc" with a power output not exceeding 11 kW. Several manuals and handbooks also exist on motorcycle safety and rider skills improvement.

Motorcycle equipment

On most new motorcycles, the headlights turn on as soon as the bike is started as a legal requirement. Maintaining motorcycles in optimum conditions through constant servicing and replacement of broken down parts should be seen as a necessity by okada riders.

Health education and Legislation

The combination of health education and legislation protecting okada riders from themselves, and protecting the patronizing public may be the final solution to the okada question in Nigeria. Drivers of okada should be taught basic rules of road safety. Eyesight tests should be made free by the Government and in conjunction with Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs). Okada riders should also desist from loading of two or more passengers, and tickets and fines should be imposed on riders who flout traffic laws. Mass transit systems should be re-implemented and properly run by the Federal and state governments, while okadas should be gradually faced out. Abrupt termination of okada services is, presently, not economically feasible and, as such, is bound to run into problems. Witness the Abuja transport woes when okadas were banned from the city in October 2006. Okadas have faced a limited ban on the dual carriages in parts of Lagos. This, unlike the Abuja ban, has not generated much furor.

Further reading

• Solagberu et al., 2006, Motorcycle injuries in a developing country and the vulnerability of riders, passengers, and pedestrians, Journal of Injury Prevention.
• The WHO newsletter on road safety, 2004, Road Safety Is No Accident.
• The UK Department for Transport, 2004, In-Depth Study of Motorcycle Accidents.
• US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2001, Fatal Single Vehicle Motorcycle Crashes.
• US National Technical Information Service, 1981, Motorcycle Accident Cause Factors and Identification of Countermeasures (The Hurt Report).