Indicators of health behavior of drivers and riders in the countryside of Northeastern Brazil

Abstract

Objective: To verify the habits and behaviors of drivers and their correlation to the usage of safety equipment.Method: This is a cross-sectional study using a household survey of an explanatory nature. In its development community health workers conducted interviews with 3,482 people living in the city of Caraúbas, state of Rio Grande do Norte.Results: There is a low adherence to wearing traffic safety equipment, specifically seatbelt and helmet, additionally the population does not understand the continuous usage as a healthy behavior. The association of this aspect with socioeconomic variables shows the evidence of some groups possibly more vulnerable to accidents than others. Stands out the low usage of safety equipment while moving around the city possibly due to the misunderstanding of the risks, the excuse of short distances driven and the lack of law enforcement in the streets. Conclusion:It is possible to assume that the increase on the number of private transportations due to the improvement of the population's income, the low usage of the seatbelt and helmet and the ineffectiveness of the government oversight make this situation a serious public health problem.