To all my motorcycle riding friends....and I have so many in India. I am making a
plea that you always wear your helmet and have the chin strap FASTENED.
Otherwise, the helmet is useless and merely a decoration. It will fly in an
accident and your brain will be left on the pavement. Every passenger on your
bike should always wear a properly fastened helmet - and that goes for the
children. In the U. S. - or California, at least, even children on their bicycles are
supposed to wear their helmets.
Don't think, "because I'm not going far from my house", that you don't need a
helmet. An accident can occur anywhere, at anytime. India's potholes can be
lethal and the number of vehicles on the road, in cities such as Mumbai, is
phenomenal.
The United States Center for Disease Control states: "riders’—and their
passengers’—can protect themselves by wearing helmets. Helmets are
estimated to prevent 37 percent of crash deaths among motorcycle riders
and 41 percent of crash deaths for motorcycle passengers."
The CDC also have several bulletins and statistics about motorcycle safety.
Please read their "Motorcycle Safety Guide" which can be found at:
help save your life and that of a loved one.
While much of the articles stastitics pertain to the U. S., there is no doubt, in my
mind that India, with the poorer quality of most of its roads and its tremendous
population, many of them ( entire families, even ) on a motorcycle are at even
greater risk.
From the CDC:
"Age: Young people are not the only ones dying in motorcycle crashes. In 2010,
more than half the people killed in motorcycle crashes were 40 or older, up
from 25% in 1995.1,2
Sex: While only 10% off riders killed in motorcycle crashes in 2010 were women, almost all passengers (89%) killed in motorcycle crashes were women.2
Location: More people are killed in motorcycle crashes on rural roads now than 20 years ago. Roughly half of all crashes take place on rural roads.9 Forty-one percent of motorcycle operators and 50% of motorcycle passengers who died in 2012 were not wearing a helmet.2"
"Wearing helmets that meet the Department of Transportation (DOT) standard is the single most effective means of reducing the number of people who get injured or die from motorcyle crashes.5" I am not sure if someone oversees the laws regarding helmet construction in India but is so necessary!
"Helmets reduce the risk of head injury by 69%.3,26"
"Traumatic brain injury is a leading cause of motorcycle crash death.25 Even when not fatal, these debilitating head injuries can mean a lifetime of costly rehabilitation and severe emotional trauma for family and friends. "
"Full-face helmets offer the most protection, protecting the eyes and face with a face shield and providing protection to the chin."
The World Health Organnization has an exceptional article, "Why Are Helmets
Needed?", which addresses the issues in low and middle income countries. It is
worth reading every single word. Skip one t.v. show tonight and please read it.
http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2006/9241562994_chap1_eng.pdf
PLEASE, PLEASE, family and friends, I implore you to save a life by wearing a properly fitted and fastened helmet ANYTIME you are riding your motorcycles. I want you alive and safe to enjoy the world in which we live!!!
http://www.cdc.gov/Motorvehiclesafety/mc/guide/index.html
http://www.cdc.gov/motorvehiclesafety/mc/guide/prevention.html
http://www.cdc.gov/features/motorcyclesafety/
http://www.examiner.com/article/deadly-motorcycle-accident-statistics
