Only 40 percent of motorcyclists wear helmets

A young man who was traveling on a small motorcycle, but not wearing a safety helmet, hit the parapet on the sidewalk on the Muyurina bridge and, as a result of a blow to the head against a pillar, died instantly.

The departmental director of Traffic, Transportation and Road Safety, Colonel Jhonny Corrales, said that this driver could have saved his life if he had been wearing a safety helmet at that time.

Unfortunately, only four out of 10 motorcyclists use helmets when driving, others do not wear them or have them on the handlebars, on the arm or in the back of the vehicle, as this medium was able to observe in central streets of the city, in the avenues Heroínas and Ayacucho, in the streets Colombia and Junín and in the Himalaya and General Achá.

The number of motorcyclists that use a low helmet to three out of 10 when this observation is made on Avenida Blanco Galindo, at kilometer four.

Corrales, meanwhile, said that at least five out of 10 motorcyclists wear a safety helmet, but it is still insufficient because everyone should comply with this regulation.

The police chief said that the number of motorcyclists using safety helmet has risen considerably, unlike what happened before, when only a minimum percentage, two out of 10, had this implement.

"But it's still alarming because in the operations we perform we found drivers without helmets"

A clear example of this is that on Villarroel Avenue, in the northern part of the city, in less than half an hour, Transit found more than 30 motorcyclists who did not wear a helmet, did not carry a license or plates.

The police chief recalled that the passenger of the motorcyclist must also carry this safety implement to protect their physical integrity in case of falls or accidents.

One argument wielded by motorcyclists for not wearing a helmet is that they arrive disheveled at their workplace.

To counteract this justification, Transit had a banner designed to show a person who suffered an accident, with serious injuries to the head, for not wearing a helmet.

"We hope that this and other messages will make drivers think," said Corrales.

RENEWING Using an appropriate helmet and renewing it every so often is vital to protect the head in case of a traffic accident, said the specialist in repair and maintenance of motorcycles, Jorge Rojas.

The mechanic, who inherited his fondness for his father's bikes, said that the use of the helmet is important, especially now that the car park has grown considerably and ridden a motorcycle has become more dangerous.

According to Rojas, the motorcycle is an unsafe means of transport, so people should wear the helmet, although at first, they find it somewhat uncomfortable because afterward, they get used to it.

The important thing is that, according to Rojas, the quality of the helmets has improved and protects the head more effectively.

However, it is important to acquire a helmet that is made of a resistant material and that has the DOT certification, which absorbs the blow.

Rojas recommended not to buy helmets at half use, which have been discarded in other countries, because they may have suffered a blow, or more, which takes away their usefulness at the time of accidents, that is, they no longer absorb the blows.

The cost of a helmet ranges between 50 and 700 dollars.

Also, it is important to change the helmet, even if it does not suffer blows, because it has a validity time, which today is estimated in about seven years, on average.

Also, it is important to perform the maintenance and repair of motorcycles, every 2,000 kilometers if it is used every day, to minimize the risk of accidents.

In his workshop Charlie, Rojas is responsible for the tuning of the engine, change oil and see the status of the levers, which are not loose, because otherwise, could cause serious injuries to the body in case of accidents.

CAMPAIGN Every week there are traffic accidents involving motorcyclists, "which result in serious injuries, exposed fractures, and injuries, in some cases, they lose their lives," said Corrales.

According to the statistics presented by the police chief, in the 2018 management Transit attended 234 accidents, with the balance of 33 people killed and 430 injuries.

In the first three months of 2019, there were 44 accidents, 6 people were killed and 41 were injured.

As a result of these motorcycle accidents and the death of people, Transit carried out a campaign this week to make drivers aware of the use of the safety helmet, reflective vest and its importance.