Communication pour le changement comportemental des usagers de la route et amélioration de la sécurité routière en Côte d'Ivoire

Abstract

Over the last five years, Côte d'Ivoire has recorded, according to official figures, more than 12,000 bodily injuries, 1,200 deaths and more than 21,000 injuries on average per year. 60% of those killed are pedestrians and users of motorbikes and tricycles, compared with 40% of passengers in other vehicles. Human factors, particularly lack of awareness, are the main cause of these accidents (92%). This phenomenon is, in fine, the first cause of death for people under 30 years of age. Faced with such a macabre scene, the Ivorian government has adopted a strategic plan that runs until 2025 with the priority of improving the institutional framework for managing and coordinating road safety. Thus, actions accompanied by vast media campaigns, notably through TV and radio spots, have been initiated with the aim of changing the behaviour of road users. Many users, however, continue to feel unconcerned and persist in the decried behaviour. The objective of this study is to identify the weaknesses of the communication aimed at changing the behaviour of road users initiated by the State. The study was qualitative in nature and data collection was based on a content analysis of written and audiovisual documents on road accidents, mobility and road safety. Weaknesses in the identification of the target audience, the development of messages and especially the choice of channels and media for transmitting messages to users were identified.