HEALTH POLICY AND PLANNING; 11(3): 329-331 © Oxford University Press 1996 How to do (or not to do) . . . Conducting a roadside survey of drivers in Kenya: methods and experiences WILSON ODERO Faculty of Health Sciences, Moi University, Eldoret, Kenya Introduction Road traffic accidents (RTAs) are the leading cause of mortality in adolescents and young adults in all regions of the world and rank among the top five causes of death (Feachem et al. 1992; World Bank 1993). Traffic-related fatality accounts for 10% of all deaths in the 5-44 year age group in developing countries and is increasingly becoming an important public health problem (Downing et al. 1991). In Kenya, deaths from RTAs increased by 43% over the last 10 years, and alcohol is suspected to be an important contributing factor. There are, however, no specific drink driving countermeasures or legis- lation setting a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit for drivers, and the prevalence of drinking and driving is unknown. Roadside surveys have been used widely for collect- ing BAC data from the driving population since the Grand Rapids Study in 1964 (Borkenstein et al. 1964). A standard roadside survey requires specific facilities, a high level of organization and a signifi- cant amount of resources. The study design involves sampling drivers from the main traffic stream into specially prepared, highly visible off-road survey sites fitted with a portacabin or a designated research vehicle where interviews and breathtests can be done in privacy, and is most suited for highways in rural locations with ample parking spaces. Permanent police roadblocks, usually placed along inter-urban roads, may also be used as sampling sites, but they present serious biases, in terms of dieir locations and vehicle selection criteria. Alternatively, a method of sampling drivers stopping at a red traffic signal in a metropolitan area has been reported (McLean and Holubowycz 1981). The procedure does not involve working with the police, but it presumes the availability of a network of signalized intersections in the city, and is therefore not suitable for urban centres (like Eldoret) wimout such facilities. This paper describes how traffic police checks were used in conjunction with a roadside survey in Eldoret, a town wim a population of 178 000, located in western Kenya. The purpose of the study was to ob- tain drivers' BAC data that can be used as reference in formulating drink driving policy in Kenya, as well as to assess the feasibility of random breathtesting as a strategy for implementing such a policy. Study organization Ethical approval from the Government and the University's Research and Ethics Committee was ob- tained prior to commencing the study. The traffic police chief was briefed about the study and col- laboration of the police department was sought. The police department's views were also sought with regard to timing, site selection and breathtesting pro- cedures. The location of check points, time and dura- tion for intake at each site were finally agreed upon. The survey was done at times when drinking is known to be common, between 19.00 and 24.00 hours, in 8 different spots, for 7 consecutive days. This was necessary in order to catch a large sample of drivers who had taken alcohol, which would increase the by guest on July 5, 2015 http://heapol.oxfordjournals.org/ Downloaded from