Between perception and risk: analysis of road safety in drivers of Riohacha
https://orcid.org/0009-0007-3392-9771
This study begins by recognizing road safety in Riohacha as a public health problem, considering dimensions based on behavioral, infrastructural, institutional or responsible entities, and sociocultural factors. It seeks to analyze the perception of road safety and associated accident factors among drivers in Riohacha. The study was conducted using a quantitative approach, with a descriptive correlational, non-experimental, cross-sectional design. The sample consisted of 30 drivers selected through non-probability convenience sampling. Data were collected using a structured Likert-type survey validated by three experts with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.93. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlational analysis, principal component analysis, and complementary exploratory techniques, systematized with SPSS and Microsoft Excel. Deficiencies were evident in road safety conditions, specifically in infrastructure and institutional effectiveness, as well as in the identification and understanding of risk, reflected in the dimensions of speeding and the persistence of unsafe behaviors. There was also a low perception of control and enforcement, the latter associated with the lack of presence of competent authorities and widespread corruption, which contributes to the normalization of non-compliance with traffic laws and signs. Therefore, road safety in Riohacha constitutes a multidimensional problem related to the interaction between behavioral, cultural, institutional, and infrastructural dimensions. This requires a comprehensive intervention with strategies aimed at institutional strengthening, improving the structural conditions of road infrastructure, and consolidating a culture of safe mobility focused on protecting drivers in Riohacha.
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