IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v19y2022i15p9726-d882426.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Risky Roads in Kuwait: An Uneven Toll on Migrant Workers

Author

Listed:
  • Janvier Gasana

    (Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, College of Public Health, Kuwait University, P.O. Box 24923, Kuwait City 13110, Kuwait)

  • Soad Albahar

    (Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, College of Public Health, Kuwait University, P.O. Box 24923, Kuwait City 13110, Kuwait)

  • Mahareb Alkhalidi

    (Department of Community Medicine and Behavioral Sciences, College of Medicine, Kuwait University, P.O. Box 24923, Kuwait City 13110, Kuwait)

  • Qout Al-Mekhled

    (Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, College of Public Health, Kuwait University, P.O. Box 24923, Kuwait City 13110, Kuwait)

  • Darline El Reda

    (Division of Public Health, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA)

  • Marwan Al-Sharbati

    (Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, College of Public Health, Kuwait University, P.O. Box 24923, Kuwait City 13110, Kuwait)

Abstract

This descriptive study reveals trends in citations and traffic-related mortality in Kuwait. Secondary data were utilized, where data on road traffic citations were obtained from the traffic police in the Ministry of Interior for the years from 2011 to 2015, and road traffic mortality data for the study period were obtained from the Ministry of Health. Objective: To describe recent trends in data related to road traffic safety in Kuwait over time, which could serve as an important indicator for the level of enforcement of existing traffic regulations. Descriptive summary statistics are presented. Results: There was a total of 24.2 million traffic violations during the study period. The number rose dramatically from 4 million citations in 2011 to nearly 6.5 million in 2015. The indirect method of citation (issued indirectly via surveillance methods) constituted a higher percentage of citations, 70.4%, compared to the direct method of citation (issued directly by the police officer), 29.6%. Furthermore, the top reason for citation was speeding, followed by parking in no parking/handicapped zones, driving with an expired license, and crossing a red light. Road traffic fatalities (RTFs) in Kuwait from 2011 to 2015 totaled 2282. About 450 people die each year in Kuwait from road traffic injuries and a slightly decreasing trend was found. Non-Kuwaitis have RTF counts that are four times higher than Kuwaitis, with 1663 and 263 deaths, respectively. Conclusions: Road traffic safety continues to be a major problem in Kuwait. Increases in citation issuance show a rise in traffic regulation enforcement, yet risky driving behaviors continue to account for most violations issued. Harsher penalties, road safety education, and implementing graduated driving licensing may be warranted to increase the safety of the roads.

Suggested Citation

  • Janvier Gasana & Soad Albahar & Mahareb Alkhalidi & Qout Al-Mekhled & Darline El Reda & Marwan Al-Sharbati, 2022. "Risky Roads in Kuwait: An Uneven Toll on Migrant Workers," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-12, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:15:p:9726-:d:882426
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/15/9726/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/15/9726/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Dara Lee Luca, 2015. "Do Traffic Tickets Reduce Motor Vehicle Accidents? Evidence from a Natural Experiment," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 34(1), pages 85-106, January.
    2. Dee, Thomas S. & Grabowski, David C. & Morrisey, Michael A., 2005. "Graduated driver licensing and teen traffic fatalities," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 24(3), pages 571-589, May.
    3. Nicola Mucci & Veronica Traversini & Gabriele Giorgi & Giacomo Garzaro & Javier Fiz-Perez & Marcello Campagna & Venerando Rapisarda & Eleonora Tommasi & Manfredi Montalti & Giulio Arcangeli, 2019. "Migrant Workers and Physical Health: An Umbrella Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(1), pages 1-22, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Anwar Ali & Shaikhah Alfajjam & Janvier Gasana, 2022. "Diabetes Mellitus and Its Risk Factors among Migrant Workers in Kuwait," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-11, March.
    2. Erica Briones-Vozmediano & Natalia Rivas-Quarneti & Montserrat Gea-Sánchez & Andreu Bover-Bover & Maria Antonia Carbonero & Denise Gastaldo, 2020. "The Health Consequences of Neocolonialism for Latin American Immigrant Women Working as Caregivers in Spain: A Multisite Qualitative Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(21), pages 1-21, November.
    3. Rinaldo Brau & Marco Nieddu & S. Balia, 2021. "Depowering Risk: Vehicle Power Restriction and Teen Driver Accidents in Italy," Working Paper CRENoS 202101, Centre for North South Economic Research, University of Cagliari and Sassari, Sardinia.
    4. Christopher S. Carpenter & Mark Stehr, 2011. "Intended and Unintended Consequences of Youth Bicycle Helmet Laws," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 54(2), pages 305-324.
    5. Karaca-Mandic, Pinar & Ridgeway, Greg, 2010. "Behavioral impact of graduated driver licensing on teenage driving risk and exposure," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 29(1), pages 48-61, January.
    6. Dills, Angela K., 2010. "Social host liability for minors and underage drunk-driving accidents," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 29(2), pages 241-249, March.
    7. Lauren E. Jones & Nicolas R. Ziebarth, 2017. "U.S. Child Safety Seat Laws: Are they Effective, and Who Complies?," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 36(3), pages 584-607, June.
    8. Gilpin, Gregory, 2019. "Teen driver licensure provisions, licensing, and vehicular fatalities," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 54-70.
    9. Michael Morrisey & David Grabowski, 2011. "Gas prices, beer taxes and GDL programmes: effects on auto fatalities among young adults in the US," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 43(25), pages 3645-3654.
    10. Julia Field Costich, 2012. "Coded Statutory Data Sets for Evaluation of Public Health Law," Evaluation Review, , vol. 36(3), pages 220-237, June.
    11. Deza, Monica, 2019. "Graduated driver licensing and teen fertility," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 35(C), pages 51-62.
    12. Anderson, D. Mark & Rees, Daniel I., 2015. "Per se drugged driving laws and traffic fatalities," International Review of Law and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 122-134.
    13. Brandyn F. Churchill & Taylor Mackay & Bing Yang Tan, 2021. "Unauthorized Immigrants' Access To Driver'S Licenses And Auto Insurance Coverage," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 39(1), pages 107-125, January.
    14. Carpenter, Christopher S. & Stehr, Mark, 2008. "The effects of mandatory seatbelt laws on seatbelt use, motor vehicle fatalities, and crash-related injuries among youths," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 27(3), pages 642-662, May.
    15. Christopher S. Carpenter & Mark F. Stehr, 2010. "Intended and Unintended Effects of Youth Bicycle Helmet Laws," NBER Working Papers 15658, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    16. Angela K. Dills & Sean E. Mulholland, 2018. "Ride‐Sharing, Fatal Crashes, and Crime," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 84(4), pages 965-991, April.
    17. Anderson, D. Mark & Sandholt, Sina, 2016. "Booster Seats and Traffic Fatalities among Children," IZA Discussion Papers 10071, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    18. Barua, Rashmi & Hoefer-Martí, Ian & Vidal-Fernandez, Marian, 2024. "Wheeling into school and out of crime: Evidence from linking driving licenses to minimum academic requirements," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 217(C), pages 334-377.
    19. Kettlewell, Nathan & Siminski, Peter, 2020. "Optimal Model Selection in RDD and Related Settings Using Placebo Zones," IZA Discussion Papers 13639, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    20. Kristin Mammen & Hyoung Suk Shim & Bryan S. Weber, 2020. "Vision Zero: Speed Limit Reduction and Traffic Injury Prevention in New York City," Eastern Economic Journal, Palgrave Macmillan;Eastern Economic Association, vol. 46(2), pages 282-300, April.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:15:p:9726-:d:882426. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.