Social imaginary of safety in purchase and use of motorcyclists’ helmet

Abstract

Motorcyclists are the road agent with the highest mortality rate due to traffic incidents, therefore, the use of the helmet is conceived as the main safety element. The purpose of this research was to identify the social imaginary of security present in the purchase and use of motorcycle helmets in the city of Medellín, Colombia. A descriptive exploratory investigation was carried out with the implementation of five observations, three focus groups, and the administration of 321 surveys to motorcyclists of socioeconomic levels 2 to 4. Among the most relevant findings is that, the imaginary of helmet safety is associated with regulatory aspects and some physical aspects of the product; in this regard, it is evident that in the young population, the message from the authority, has achieved a positive result, because they, unlike adults, have a greater determination on this criterion of use. This article can contribute to public policy makers regarding the use of helmets in the country and opens the door for studies related to the imaginary of other road actors such as pedestrians, drivers of private and public vehicles, among others.