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HEAD for it
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Without it, it could mean hell met. While V. RAMESH agrees that the helmet is hardly fashionable, he can't but concur that it can ensure damage control
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But what about the pillion rider? — Photo: K. Murali Kumar
REV UP the engine; all the better if it's minus silencer and race down the road, hair flying in the wind. The girl next door is mighty impressed. Just try telling the dude on the bike about the virtues of safe driving and helmet, he'll look away and yawn, with dark mutters about old fogeys and fossils. What about all that mousse he used in the morning and a good half an hour setting his hair in place? All to be wasted on a lousy helmet? Oh come on, you got to be kidding.
A less cool dude guy may take your sagely advice. This not-so-brave girl-gazer knows the wisdom of wearing a full-face helmet: he can get away with ogling behind that Darth Vader façade. As for women riders, it wards off needless attention even as it gives her a chance to ogle.
When the "family" is on the pillion, that smoky visor guarantees certain personal liberties for the hubby to appreciate those passing curves without having to spend the night with the dogs.
A helmet is a strict no-no for those who wish to cruise on the highway, Ghulam ishtyle. And, ahem, it can be a bit of a bother — downright inconvenient, in fact — if both lovebirds wear that unfashionable accessory.
However, this most controversial headgear is a great protector of those plagued by sinus problems, particularly in winter. They can save those trips to the doctor, and with the money saved, buy that sleek DVD player they've been eyeing for a while. They save on tissue paper as they don't have to wipe away all that dust and grime. As for their eyes, they have that extra sparkle, not necessarily from all those mandatory carrots in their diet. And when it rains, a helmet and a raincoat keep them nice and fairly dry: all they have to do is to avoid the Martian craters under their wheels.
Despite all these impressive advantages, there aren't many takers for the helmet. The risk of head injury and the possible consequence of paralysis and loss of memory, sight, hearing, and speech does not seem to scare the have-nots. They scream freedom, and are ready to flirt with danger and death.
Freedom. Fair enough, but at what cost? D. Gururaj, Head of Department of Epidemiology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, offers an explanation: "Youth is a period when some tend to be aggressive, some are excited, and some others adventurous. These guys rebel and oppose every rule. They make a lot of noise against the helmet rule." While there are umpteen reasons based on scientific studies that highlight the need for helmet rule, there is not one logical reason to oppose it.
Dr. Gururaj, just back from an international conference on road safety in Vienna, insists that it is the youth who have to compulsorily wear helmets. "They have dreams of a better tomorrow. They should ensure that they don't bring grief to their near and dear. Just because a minuscule minority raises its voice, the authorities should not ignore the silent majority, who belong to the most productive age group. Society has to protect them," he emphasises. "Riders and pillion riders are unstable while the vehicle is moving. The rider has to balance and manoeuvre the bike constantly. Unlike four-wheelers, they are exposed and vulnerable."
In most road accidents involving two-wheelers, the rider is ejected and thrown from the vehicle. The fragile bones near the temple are crushed by the impact, rupturing the veins that supply blood to the brain, causing grievous injury or death. Even when the bike is at a low speed of 20 kmph, the force can be as high as 50,000 Newtons with peak deceleration in the range of six to seven Newtons, explains Dr. Gururaj.
When a rider is thrown up in air and the head hits the ground, the brain experiences tremors and hits against the skull, causing concussion, contusion, haemorrhages, and other damage. A good crash helmet absorbs the impact, because of which the brain does not hit the skull with great force. Also, the helmets act as mechanical barriers in preventing sharp objects from piercing the skull, especially in the temple region. A full-faced helmet protects the jaw and the strap, when firmly in place, prevents it coming off the head when the rider is thrown or falls when the bike skids.
Car drivers are better off; they have an enclosure and are generally injured in the chest region and abdomen. Nowadays, cars come with collapsible steering and more legroom. Even windscreens are now made of plastic, reducing chances of injury. That's the reason why seat belts have been made compulsory for car drivers, says Dr. Gururaj who complains that inconsistent implementation of the helmet rule makes people casual towards it.
Of course, wearing helmets is no insurance against head injuries. The long arm of Karma may or may not spare you. But a helmet certainly reduces the risk of head injury by nearly 40 per cent.
Consider this: some 850 people die and 15,000 are injured on our city;'soads every year. An overwhelming majority of the victims are riders without helmets. Your head is more important than hair, fitness more important than fad.
Right, dude?
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The toll
These are the grim statistics for 2004 of head injuries to two-wheeler riders:
January
26 deaths, 68 injuries
February
21 deaths, 83 injuries
March
23 deaths, 52 injuries
April
19 deaths, 44 injuries
May
19 deaths, 65 injuries
Total
108 deaths, 312 injuries
Fallacy and fact
Helmets should not instil a false sense of complacency. — Photo: R. Ragu
Hair loss: A one-hour ride on a day does not cause hair loss. Expose to dust and heat does more damage to the hair than the helmet.
Heavy: The days of heavy helmets are gone. Lightweight fashionable helmets with graphics are available.
Unfashionable: Most of the facial bones are hollow. Even a fall can result in fractures. Would you prefer being unfashionable for a while or run the risk of permanent disfigurement of the face?
Neck pain: There has been no proof of this. Wearing the helmet of the right size does not cause neck pain.
Discomfort: Only in tropical regions, riders feel higher level of warmth on wearing a helmet for a long duration. Helmets now come with perforators that allow air circulation.
Reduces vision: Studies have revealed that helmets with visors reduce the visibility only by 10 per cent. They only block the peripheral and lateral vision. This is insignificant as most of the time rider are expected to look straight while riding.
Blocks ears: The rider with a helmet cannot hear noises at very low decibel levels. But the sound of horns and beepers can be heard.
Expensive: The price of helmets varies from Rs. 350 to Rs. 1,500. This barely constitutes 3 to 5 per cent of the average price of a brand new two-wheeler.
Difficult to carry: Helmet locks are available in the market. Some of the popular brands of scooters even have in-built boxes to keep helmets.
Bad roads, chaotic traffic eliminates need to wear helmets: Bad roads and chaotic traffic necessitate helmets. Even when a rider falls from the two-wheeler while going at the speed of 10 kmph., the risk of serious brain injury is very high.
Too high a price?
About 850 people die in road accidents in the city every year and 15,000 are injured.
In 2003, 176 two-wheeler riders died of head injuries. A majority of these fatalities could have been prevented if the victims had their helmets on.
On an average, 12 cases of two-wheeler riders who suffer head injuries are brought to NIMHANS everyday.
About 60 to 80 two-wheeler riders suffer head injuries in Bangalore every a month.
Two-wheelers are involved in 48 per cent of the road accidents that cause head injuries.
The fatality rate among those who don't wear helmets is twice that of those who wear them.
The incidence of skull fracture was 1.2 times more among those without helmets as compared to those wore them.
Head injuries drain the family's resources. The treatment for brain injury is prolonged, traumatic, and expensive. The cost of surgeries, physiotherapy, and post-accident rehabilitation can be calamitous to a hard-pressed family.
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Contradictions
BUREAUCRACY IS riddled with contradictions. The helmet rule is no exception to this. Mohammed Suleman, Joint Commissioner of Transport, says not all two-wheeler riders have the option of not wearing helmets. Helmets are compulsory for vehicles with maximum power of 11 BHP and above.
But the traffic police do not agree with this. M.A. Saleem, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic), says police have no information on this. "It is the Transport Department that enforces the law. So far, we have not been given any specific guidelines on how much penalty should be levied on those who do not wear helmets while riding 11 BHP two-wheelers," he says.
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