Percepções dos adolescentes sobre trânsito na cidade de Maputo

Abstract

This paper analyzes “Adolescents' perceptions of traffic in the city of Maputo”, presents the results of a qualitative and participatory research. The research was carried out in two public schools namely Escola Secundária Josina Machel and Escola Secundária Francisco Manyanga, both located in the city of Maputo. The results of this research point to the complex traffic situation, mainly due to the difficult conditions of the roads, whether in aspects related to signage, degradation of the sidewalks, and the lack of courtesy of motorists in relation to people who transit on foot. We found that the family plays a role in the transmission of values ​​and knowledge regarding traffic in adolescents and they have institutional support from schools. We conclude that adolescents see traffic in all its complexity as an obstacle to their daily movement, taking into account the chaos that characterizes traffic in the city of Maputo. This view stems from the fact that many times adolescents do not want to delay (in times of taking curricular exams, for example) due to the average distances they travel to school. We realize that among teenagers, the sense of prudence is notary when accompanied by the elderly even in the presence of intense traffic and in turn, when they are in a group of colleagues. The strategy is to cross together, which offers greater security, and in this sense the cars are obliged even at the yellow or green signal to give way to those who are crossing the crosswalks towards the school. We perceive in this way, that in the research context the traffic situation is perceived in a varied way, depending on the situation of crossing conditions, signaling, policing, courtesy on the roads.(TRADUÇÃO NOSSA)