Vol.18 No.2 2015 AJPSSI AFRICAN JOURNAL FOR THE PSYCHOLOGICAL STUDY OF SOCIAL ISSUES 123 ALCOHOL USE AND LOCUS OF CONTROL AS PREDICTORS OF ACCIDENT PRONESS AMONG COMMERCIAL MOTORCYCLE RIDERS IN ABEOKUTA OYELEKE JOHNSON TUNDE and BADA BUKOLA VICTORIA Department of Psychology, University of Ibadan Email: oyeleke.johnson@dlc.ui.edu.ng ABSTRACT The occurrence of road traffic accidents and severe crash injuries involving commercial motorcyclist has risen significantly in recent times in Nigeria. Human factors, vehicular conditions and the state of Nigerian roads are some of the reasons that have been adduced for this increase. Therefore this study examines alcohol use and locus of control as predictors of accident proneness among commercial motorcycle riders in Abeokuta, Nigeria. Cross-sectional research design was utilized. One hundred and fifty-three commercial motorcycle riders were accidentally sampled at motorcycle parks in Abeokuta. A structured questionnaire which focused on alcohol use scale, locus of control scale and accident proneness was administered to each respondent. T-test for independent samples and multiple regressions, were used at p≤0.05, The results revealed that alcohol use predicted accident proneness (151)=4.134). Participants with external locus of control are more prone to accident t(151) = 2.271). There was joint influence of demographic variables on accident proneness [R = .295. R 2 = 0.87; F (4,148) = 3.22]. Alcohol use and locus of control were important in accident proneness. There is need for psycho-educational talk on risk of alcohol consumption and frequent personality assessment among motorcycle riders. INTRODUCTION In the last ten years, there has been an increase in the use of motorcycles popularly referred to as Okada here in the South-western part of Nigeria and Yan achaba in the Northern parts of the country for commercial public transportation in rural and urban areas. Commercial motorcycling has also served as a means of gainful employment to quite a number of people due to the increase in the rate of unemployment. The emergence of commercial motorcycles is due to inadequacies of mass transportation systems in the country. bad roads with the associated traffic congestion, as well as the ability of these motorcyclists to meander through traffic jams have encouraged the patronage of this mode of transportation. The other means of transportation are unable to access these roads. The motorcyclist spends more than 10 hours daily on the road with direct exposure to various environmental hazards including road traffic accidents and associated crash injuries of various levels of severity. The rate of road traffic accidents associated with commercial motorcycling has also been on the increase with a rise in the number of injuries presented at hospitals. The injuries come with associated huge socio-economic consequences to the injured, their families and the society at large. Many reasons have been suggested for the unacceptably high rate of road traffic accidents involving commercial motorcyclists. The reasons range from human factors and vehicular conditions to the state of Nigerian roads (Ngim & Udosen, 2007). Road traffic accidents (RTAs) are major causes of morbidity and mortality the world over. The WHO fact sheet shows that about 1.3 million people die each year as a result of road traffic crashes (Etukumana Onumbu , John & Valenti, 2010). Road traffic injuries is the leading cause of death among young people, aged 15–29 years Avistisides et.al (2009). About 90% of the world's fatalities on the roads occur in low-income and middle-income countries, even though these countries have less than half of the world's vehicles (Etukumana et.al 2010). Nearly half (46%) of those dying on the world’s roads are “vulnerable road users”: pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists (World Health Organization. Fact sheet, 2012). Without action, road traffic crashes are predicted to result in the deaths of around 1.9 million people annually by 2020. Only 15% of countries have comprehensive laws relating to five key risk factors: speeding, drinking and driving, and the use of motorcycle helmets, seat-belts and child restraints. The risk of death is twenty times higher in motorcyclists than car occupants (European Union, Road Safety knowledge base, 2012).