A ride without your helmet will cost you just Rs 100 to 300. But your visit to emergency rooms of hospitals can cost you your life or perhaps an injury or a permanent disability. This also can leave you poorer by thousands of rupees to get yourself treated. The epicenter of human life and activity is the brain. Over half of all reported traumatic brain injuries are the result of an automobile accident.
However, there are ‘vaccines’ to reduce road deaths — pedestrian safety, safer vehicles, helmets, seat belts, action on drink driving, driver training and licensing and tackling speed. The missing ingredient, however, is, political commitment to take action.
The road safety campaign is urging public to support helmet use for safety on roads. To protect the rider from fatal head injury, wearing helmet is crucial.
Helmets are necessary as in case of an accident it protects the head and absorbs the impact of the crash. Injuries on other parts of the body are easier to treat and may not be life threatening compared to injuries to the head.
It is common to hear stories of people who are physically fit succumbing to motorcycle accidents just because they failed to wear helmets. They might be able to endure bodily injuries, but the head trauma is usually the worst that any rider could recover from.
With the growing popularity of motorcycles — as one can easily negotiate through heavy traffic compared to four-wheelers — also comes the increase in the number of motorcycle accidents.
People do not realize the necessity of wearing helmets. Thousands of people are hospitalized after head injuries and very often succumb. The MV Act, 1988 (Section 129) is also not stringent enough as it imposes a fine of just Rs 100 to Rs 300 for not wearing a helmet.
Hence, it is necessary that helmets should be enforced as compulsory equipment for public safety by all public authorities as Section 129 was incorporated in the MV Act, 1988 with the intention of safeguarding public health and safety.
Also, the ‘Self-Protection Theory’ of public safety focuses on the interdependence of an individual’s actions and the interest of the State authorities (such as RTO, Traffic Cell). When an individual neglects his own safety, it also affects the safety of others.
It therefore augurs well for State authorities to enforce the use of helmets strictly.
