BARRIERS TO THE USE OF MOTORCYCLE HELMETS IN DIGOS CITY

Abstract

This study aimed to assess the motorcycle riders about their reasons for not wearing helmet. Specifically, it aimed to determine the characteristics of the participants, history of accidents of the motorcyclists and the reasons for not wearing helmet. The descriptive survey method of research was used in this study and employed the adopted questionnaire entitled "motorcyclists’ reasons for not using helmet" as the main data gathering instrument. There were a total of 160 participants, majority are male with the age range from 16 years old to 20 years old. It revealed that only the age of the participants had significant relationship towards using helmet and their common reason for not wearing the helmet are inconvenient and uncomfortable to wear and when riding slowly, there is no need to wear helmet. It is best recommended that that the motorcyclist should always wear a helmet even if there are no police officers in the highway, so as to prevent accidents and severe injuries. Moreover, law enforcement officers should enforce the motorcycle helmet act well and it should not be associated with any form of bias.