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| Sunday, 14 November 2004 |
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Features |  |
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Failing to provide helmets for minors : Deadly Oversight Fragile and young, your son or daughter may be the light of your eyes. Your hopes and dreams for the future might rest on them as well. BUT, are you also a negligent parent as observed by the Sunday Observer, who carry your child on a motorcycle sans protective headgear? by Vimukthi Fernando The motorbicycle thunders behind. The roar of its engine ringing in everyone's ears. Its riders - a boy about 5 years old nodding on the fuel tank, a male rider with a female riding the pillion and a girl about 8 years old, sandwiched between the two with legs in the air and balancing a sizeable school-bag on her lap. Horns blare as it negotiates the dangerously paltry space between the lines of bumper-to-bumper traffic and creeps its way to the road ahead. The next instance - traffic lights command 'go' and engines roar to life. As it bumps onto a large car commuters in nearby vehicles shut their eyes and scream... This is not a bloodcurdling scene from a Bollywood thriller, but an example of an increasingly common experience of the daily commuter during peak traffic hours. What if you were a witness to the accident? What if you were on that motorbicycle? What if it was your child who was travelling without a helmet? With public transport becoming an increasingly inconvenient form of transportation and owning a car beyond the means of many Sri Lankan families with average incomes have opted for one of the cheapest, convenient and easiest modes of transportation - the motorbicycle. However, a point of concern is the way they forget to adhere to or ignore altogether one of the most vital components of the law that governs the safety of their travel, namely section 158:2 of the Motor Traffic Act, No. 21 of 1981, which stipulates the need for every person who rides on a motorcycle or is carried on a motorcycle, to 'securely wear a protective helmet' made according to the standards approved by the ministry. Most disturbingly, this law seems to be nonexistent when it comes to children, risking their lives greatly. Many such incidence of travel happen during peak hours, when parents on their way to work on motorcycles bring their children to schools. The Sunday Observer spoke with the authorities, traders and parents regarding the need for children to wear helmets. While short distance travel, unavailability of helmets, ignorance and negligence were brought forward as excuses by parents (mainly fathers) for their children not wearing helmets, the authorities cautioned that in a road accident, where a light-second may make the difference between life and death, safety precaution by travellers is definitely a deciding factor. Motorcyclists (and pillion riders) are categorised as vulnerable road users. They have to take maximum precautions to protect themselves because they do not have the protective cover of the standard four wheel motor vehicle, says Dr. Anil Jayasinghe of the National Hospital Colombo. Thirty to forty per cent of injuries sustained during road accidents, being head injuries makes it all the more necessary to wear helmets. "Motorcyclists sustaining head injuries are proportionately more than those using any other vehicle. Furthermore, most of the time their injuries are moderate or severe either fatal or resulting in long periods of immobility. You need to be more cautious when it comes to children for they are neither physically, nor mentally prepared for accidents. Their body balance is not developed well. Therefore, they cannot take immediate precaution and often get thrown off easily," says Jayasinghe. According to a recent survey on road accidents carried out by the Accident Service Department of the Colombo National Hospital, motorcycles were involved in 12 per cent of the road accidents. Sixteen per cent of victims were motorcyclists or pillion riders. Children and youth below 20 years accounted for 23 per cent of road accident victims. This exposure and vulnerability of the motorcyclists is what makes it all the more important to wear helmets, say officials from the Motor Traffic Department. "It is mandatory to wear the helmet under the Motor Traffic Act's section 158:2. Though there was an amendment in 1991 prohibiting wearing helmets with visors covering the full face due to security reasons, others were allowed. However, this was revoked by the amendment of 1999 allowing full face helmets again." However important it is, the only authority available to enforce its implementation is the Traffic Police. The adult offenders usually get a spot fine of Rs. 100 or if charged in courts, a fine up to Rs. 500. However, "Very often, we detect such parents close to schools and warn them. Parents are requested to report to the Police within a particular period of time, with a helmet for the child before charging," says Y.G.R.M. Lafir, SSP, City Traffic. "It is very important. If you wear a helmet there is a 95 per cent chance of saving your life. There are many occasions where an accident victim's life was spared, due to wearing a helmet," he adds. Life is precious and there is only a split second's difference between life and death. If your negligence cost the life of your child, can you live with it as a parent? **** What parents say: Many fathers who bring children to schools accepted children travelling without helmets as a 'usual' occurrence. However, mothers were observed more cautious and supported helmets for children. A. M. Jayasinghe, a father from the suburbs who brought his daughter to school: "It is only a short distance, therefore I do not think it is necessary. Anyway, she (the daughter) usually travels without a helmet. I do accept that it is good to wear one." Y. Fernando, an insurance officer, observed bringing his two sons to school on his motorcycle, both without helmets: "I drop them in school and then go to work. It is difficult for me to carry two helmets because I am in the field most of the time. Furthermore, it is a short distance to school from my residence." I. Dias, a housewife who used to take her child on the motorcycle from Colombo to Anuradhapura says a helmet is mandatory: "There had been one or two close calls, and I was always thankful for the helmet. If something happens to an arm or a leg it could be mended, at the worst you have other alternatives such as artificial limbs. But, what if something happens to the brain? Can a parent live with the responsibility of ruining the life of his/her own child?" Harindra Senarath, a businessman is also of the same opinion: "It may be a little expensive for the children. There is not much difference in price if you want to buy a good helmet with a visor. But it is important to save the child. It is for the good of your own child, isn't it?" N. De Lanerolle, a secretary in a buying office elaborated on the importance of the helmet due to children's behaviour on motorcycles: "Children always want to travel in front, but very young children are unable to stand the force of the wind. They may get choked. Therefore, a helmet with a visor will always help. Sometimes they travel standing or waving at pedestrians. When that happens the chances are high for accidents. If parents are responsible they will never let a child sit on a motorcycle without a helmet." ***** Important but neglected: Though wearing helmets is an important issue, in Sri Lanka it is much neglected even by the authorities. While the Motor Traffic Department is responsible for stipulating the law, the police is the only implementing or monitoring institution. It is sad to see many 'transport authority' officials washing their hands off saying that they are "only responsible for bus transport". ***** How to recognise good helmets: Helmets, be they for adults or children undergo stringent checking before they are approved as 'quality' helmets says Sunil Amarawansa, Assistant Director - Materials, Laboratory Division, Sri Lanka Standards Institution (SLSI), who is much involved in the standards procedure. A good helmet has to have good resistance to impact and penetration, it should absorb shock and would be able to provide a perfect fit for ones head. For small children though there are no specifications, there should not be any protrusions on the outer shell of the helmet. However, it is impossible to judge whether these requirements are met, just by looking at a helmet, he says. He urges parents to look for the SLS recognition when purchasing helmets for children. "There are many substandard helmets in the market. However, there is no fear if a product is marked with SLS recognition, because we have a very good monitoring system and do regular checks," says Amarawansa. **** Availability: Helmets for children are now freely available in the market. Costs range from Rs. 600 to about Rs. 2,000. |
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