The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : The importance of helmets

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jun 24, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

The importance of helmets

LAW &ORDER Medico-legal cases in Chennai show that use of helmets brings down road fatalities significantly, says P.Oppili

In early 2006, the city traffic authorities officially announced that the road safety campaign, focusing on use of helmets by two-wheeler riders, had helped bring down the number of fatal accidents in 2005. However, road users and activists are concerned over the campaign's losing steam.

Various factors have contributed to the slackness, said a senior officer. With the announcement of elections, even routine policing was affected. So were the various awareness programmes chalked out by the Chennai Metropolitan Police, the officer pointed out.

From January 1 to May 31 this year, 462 fatal accidents were reported in the Chennai metropolitan area. An officer said though the erstwhile Chengalpattu East police district had been merged with the City police, the number of personnel posted in the suburbs for traffic management was inadequate. Similarly, campaigns were taken up only in the city and not in the suburbs, which was one of the reasons for the accidents, he said. Medico-legal cases in Chennai show overwhelmingly that wearing helmets brings down road fatalities significantly, said neurosurgeon and well-known road safety activist Dr. Ganapathy. Two-wheeler drivers/riders are five times more at risk than car or bus passengers, he said. A helmet not only protects the head but also prevents sub-optimal performance of the brain in case of a head injury. In 30 years' of practice he remembers only two patients who had died despite wearing helmets.

Has the helmet campaign been stopped?

No, say traffic authorities; the campaigns are on-going projects. Even on Thursday and Friday, the services of a private company were roped in for a "wear helmet" campaign. Two-wheeler riders, with messages underlining the importance of helmets on their T-shirts, went around the city.

Another awareness raising function regarding helmets is to be held next week.

Sunil Kumar, Joint Commissioner of Police, Traffic, said an exclusive mobile phone number would be activated shortly to receive information or suggestions from the public about accidents and traffic problems.

People can only send messages to this new number, which would be made available within the next few days, he said.

Apart from this, plans are also under way to utilise professional street theatre groups, who would highlight the importance of road safety and related issues. The theatre groups would perform in places such as the Marina and Elliots beach, where people gather in large numbers on weekends, say officials.

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