Effects of a Self-Efficacy Program on Injury and Fatality Prevention from Road Traffic Accidents in High School Students at Very High-risk district, Surin Province

Abstract

Road traffic fatalities are a significant public health issue in Thailand. An integrated analysis of three mortality databases indicated that children and adolescents aged 10-19 years experienced the highest burden, with a total of 26,126 deaths over the past nine years, averaging 2,902 deaths per year. If no effective interventions are implemented, the number of road traffic fatalities among Thai youth is projected to increase to an average of 3,732 deaths per year. This study aimed to examine the effects of an awareness-enhancing program on injury and fatality prevention among secondary school students in a high-risk district of Surin Province. A quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest design was conducted among 42 participants, randomly selected from secondary school students (Grades 7-12) who commuted to school by motorcycle. The study was carried out over 12 weeks in Mueang Surin District, a high-risk area, with participants selected based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed using Inferential statistics, including a Paired t-test, were used to compare the mean scores between dependent sample groups.

                The results showed that the majority of participants were female (57.14%), aged between 14 and 18 years, with a mean age of 16.43 years (S.D. = 1.467). The average age at which students first rode a motorcycle was 12.31 years (S.D. = 1.854), with 35.71% beginning at 12 years old. Parents were the primary instructors for motorcycle riding (50.00%), followed by self-learning (26.19%) and guidance from relatives (16.67%). Most parents allowed their children to ride motorcycles to school during early secondary education (64.29%), and the majority did not possess a valid driving license (76.19%). Additionally, 52.38% of students had experienced at least one motorcycle accident, with 45.45% having had only one incident. Most injuries were minor and did not require hospitalization (63.63%). After the intervention, the students showed a significantly higher average score on self-perceived ability to prevent accidents, expectations about injury and death prevention from traffic accidents, and behaviors for road safety compared to before the experiment, (p < 0.001). These findings suggest that this intervention model could be applied in other educational settings to reduce motorcycle-related injuries and fatalities among children and adolescents.