THE GOOD OF USING HELMETS
September 4, 2011
Vehicle seat belts and motorcycle helmets – like condoms – are there to provide safety for man.
They are not a license – for man to be reckless in either driving or in sex practice. Education is never enough - given man's fallen nature- these have to be mandated by law in order to protect man from man himself.
Motorcycles are more dangerous than cars. They are built for rapid acceleration to top speed without the protection of an "enclosure" that cars have. Less stable than cars in maneuvering, they are also less visible to other motorists, increasing the risk of accidents.
In America, motorcycle deaths are 37 times more than deaths in cars. The same is true elsewhere in the globe including Metro Manila where thousands of motorcycles criss-cross in dazzling speed like crazies in highways – rain or shine.
In 2007 alone in America, there were 5,112 motorcycle deaths – bigger than the number of deaths during the September 11 terrorist attacks in New York and Pentagon.
In the state of California (1992) when the Helmet Law was implemented and their users went from 50% to 99%, the number of motorcycle deaths decreased sharply by 40%. There is a correlation.
Motorcycle accidents can be fatal or lead to loss of ability to earn a living, aside from the enormous medical expenses from the injury. The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons voted unanimously for the adoption of the Helmet Law all over America.
On the other hand, the Journal of Trauma validated that 66% of motorcycle accident victims suffered serious brain injury among those not wearing helmets; only 38% among those who wore one.
A little known fact is that the Helmet Law actually is a deterrent to motorcycle thievery where the suspects usually have to buy a helmet before stealing or face immediate apprehension. It is a fact that even in advanced nations like Britain, Germany, USA and the Netherlands, motorcycle thefts drastically reduced the moment the Helmet Law was implemented.
Bohol has captured the essence of its wise adoption. The deadline for such compliance here was last September 1.
Pressed to the wall, hundreds of Boholanos saw themselves abiding to follow the law. Many of them were seen at the department stores early Thursday morning lining up as if to buy the early morning pan de sal, to buy their helmets.
Otherwise, they'll be fined P1,500 for the first offense, about the same price for one standard helmet (about P2,000) which passed the PS (Philippines Standard) and the ICC (Import Commodity Clearance) required by the Department of Trade and Industry.
The imposition of the Mandatory Helmet Act of 2010 or RA 10054 is a welcome note as this law is designed to protect lives of motorists here. Records show that there is no single day where there are no accidents of motorcycles in the province. And 90% of those who figure in these road mishaps are motorists who are not wearing helmets.
But in a random interview, some Boholano motorists still say that they do not use helmets because it is distractive to have something over their head aside from increasing body heat considering the country's temperature. Others also said that wearing helmets in some way blocked a portion of their sight sidewise.
Laboratory tests, however, proved that wearing helmets only caused a minimal reduction in horizontal periphery vision (it's all in the fearful mind) and what is a little sweating – such a small price to pay to save one's and others' lives.
But there is also a common observation that would point to the usual Filipino nature of not being safety conscious. Ride a car in the province and seldom you will find the passengers and drivers using their seat belts. It looks like we need laws to strictly implement even these basic safety precautionary steps here.
But, these same Boholanos when in Manila or abroad, find themselves the first ones to fix their seat belts in the car. This is just a practice of probinsyanos – imbued with perhaps a false sense of confidence that there is not much traffic (and therefore less accidents) in their areas. However, if this attitude is not checked, this will expose them to dangerous situations.
So, we were mighty glad that when the PNP and LTO announced to apprehend violators, we saw enthusiastic motorists trooping to buy their helmets as if their lives depended on it. It may.
But, despite the overall beneficial purpose of the Mandatory Helmet Act of 2010, there are also points which some motorists would savvily argue against.
First, the law states that those below 10 years old will not be allowed to be among a motorist's back-rider. Since motorcycles are the common mode of transportation hereabouts – this order will surely deprive a family of their convenient conveyance for mobility if this will be strictly implemented.
Second, with habal-habal being common in all provinces, the law could become inutile since a habal-habal carries 4 to 5 back-riders while the law states that only the Lone back-rider should wear a helmet. Granting that the habal-habal will be allowed to qualify 3 back-riders, it remains a daunting task for the poor driver to force himself to buy 3 helmets for each of his back-rider.
Lastly, the law provides a standard helmet to be used which if purchased would cost more than P2,000. This is something motorists will hardly buy since you can have a helmet for P500 or less. But, when the implementation was done last Thursday, the stores had their day when all the helmets' prices skyrocketed to almost 50% higher.
This provision of the Helmet Law needs to be reviewed. Otherwise, this will become one portion of the law which will be ignored by both motorists and enforcers, alike.
On the other hand, we feel that the penalties which range from P1,500 to P10,000 are rather too high to be imposed to motorists in the provinces whose monthly income cannot even match the highest peso penalty.
From experience, because of high penalties, it becomes a potential source of corruption among law enforcers, when haggling ensues after a violator offers an areglohan.
But laws are laws, - sed lex, dura lex, in Latin it says. But as Governor Edgar Chatto explained, local officialdom can only telegraph the complaints of constituents to the higher ups but it is only the Legislature that can make refinements on the Law.
However, these needed potential amendments do not, however, deduct one bit from the sagacity and timeliness of the Helmet Law.
We are four square for the law – perhaps it is only the dense and the suicidal who would debate against it.
http://www.boholchronicle.com/2011/sep/4/editorial1.html
=========================================================
Bawal na jud deri ang dili mag-helmet kung naka-motor apil na ang sakay/naka-angkas kinahanglan tanan nga nakasakay sa motor naka-helmit bisan bata. I hope molungtad dili kay karon ra.
September 4, 2011
Vehicle seat belts and motorcycle helmets – like condoms – are there to provide safety for man.
They are not a license – for man to be reckless in either driving or in sex practice. Education is never enough - given man's fallen nature- these have to be mandated by law in order to protect man from man himself.
Motorcycles are more dangerous than cars. They are built for rapid acceleration to top speed without the protection of an "enclosure" that cars have. Less stable than cars in maneuvering, they are also less visible to other motorists, increasing the risk of accidents.
In America, motorcycle deaths are 37 times more than deaths in cars. The same is true elsewhere in the globe including Metro Manila where thousands of motorcycles criss-cross in dazzling speed like crazies in highways – rain or shine.
In 2007 alone in America, there were 5,112 motorcycle deaths – bigger than the number of deaths during the September 11 terrorist attacks in New York and Pentagon.
In the state of California (1992) when the Helmet Law was implemented and their users went from 50% to 99%, the number of motorcycle deaths decreased sharply by 40%. There is a correlation.
Motorcycle accidents can be fatal or lead to loss of ability to earn a living, aside from the enormous medical expenses from the injury. The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons voted unanimously for the adoption of the Helmet Law all over America.
On the other hand, the Journal of Trauma validated that 66% of motorcycle accident victims suffered serious brain injury among those not wearing helmets; only 38% among those who wore one.
A little known fact is that the Helmet Law actually is a deterrent to motorcycle thievery where the suspects usually have to buy a helmet before stealing or face immediate apprehension. It is a fact that even in advanced nations like Britain, Germany, USA and the Netherlands, motorcycle thefts drastically reduced the moment the Helmet Law was implemented.
Bohol has captured the essence of its wise adoption. The deadline for such compliance here was last September 1.
Pressed to the wall, hundreds of Boholanos saw themselves abiding to follow the law. Many of them were seen at the department stores early Thursday morning lining up as if to buy the early morning pan de sal, to buy their helmets.
Otherwise, they'll be fined P1,500 for the first offense, about the same price for one standard helmet (about P2,000) which passed the PS (Philippines Standard) and the ICC (Import Commodity Clearance) required by the Department of Trade and Industry.
The imposition of the Mandatory Helmet Act of 2010 or RA 10054 is a welcome note as this law is designed to protect lives of motorists here. Records show that there is no single day where there are no accidents of motorcycles in the province. And 90% of those who figure in these road mishaps are motorists who are not wearing helmets.
But in a random interview, some Boholano motorists still say that they do not use helmets because it is distractive to have something over their head aside from increasing body heat considering the country's temperature. Others also said that wearing helmets in some way blocked a portion of their sight sidewise.
Laboratory tests, however, proved that wearing helmets only caused a minimal reduction in horizontal periphery vision (it's all in the fearful mind) and what is a little sweating – such a small price to pay to save one's and others' lives.
But there is also a common observation that would point to the usual Filipino nature of not being safety conscious. Ride a car in the province and seldom you will find the passengers and drivers using their seat belts. It looks like we need laws to strictly implement even these basic safety precautionary steps here.
But, these same Boholanos when in Manila or abroad, find themselves the first ones to fix their seat belts in the car. This is just a practice of probinsyanos – imbued with perhaps a false sense of confidence that there is not much traffic (and therefore less accidents) in their areas. However, if this attitude is not checked, this will expose them to dangerous situations.
So, we were mighty glad that when the PNP and LTO announced to apprehend violators, we saw enthusiastic motorists trooping to buy their helmets as if their lives depended on it. It may.
But, despite the overall beneficial purpose of the Mandatory Helmet Act of 2010, there are also points which some motorists would savvily argue against.
First, the law states that those below 10 years old will not be allowed to be among a motorist's back-rider. Since motorcycles are the common mode of transportation hereabouts – this order will surely deprive a family of their convenient conveyance for mobility if this will be strictly implemented.
Second, with habal-habal being common in all provinces, the law could become inutile since a habal-habal carries 4 to 5 back-riders while the law states that only the Lone back-rider should wear a helmet. Granting that the habal-habal will be allowed to qualify 3 back-riders, it remains a daunting task for the poor driver to force himself to buy 3 helmets for each of his back-rider.
Lastly, the law provides a standard helmet to be used which if purchased would cost more than P2,000. This is something motorists will hardly buy since you can have a helmet for P500 or less. But, when the implementation was done last Thursday, the stores had their day when all the helmets' prices skyrocketed to almost 50% higher.
This provision of the Helmet Law needs to be reviewed. Otherwise, this will become one portion of the law which will be ignored by both motorists and enforcers, alike.
On the other hand, we feel that the penalties which range from P1,500 to P10,000 are rather too high to be imposed to motorists in the provinces whose monthly income cannot even match the highest peso penalty.
From experience, because of high penalties, it becomes a potential source of corruption among law enforcers, when haggling ensues after a violator offers an areglohan.
But laws are laws, - sed lex, dura lex, in Latin it says. But as Governor Edgar Chatto explained, local officialdom can only telegraph the complaints of constituents to the higher ups but it is only the Legislature that can make refinements on the Law.
However, these needed potential amendments do not, however, deduct one bit from the sagacity and timeliness of the Helmet Law.
We are four square for the law – perhaps it is only the dense and the suicidal who would debate against it.
http://www.boholchronicle.com/2011/sep/4/editorial1.html
=========================================================
Bawal na jud deri ang dili mag-helmet kung naka-motor apil na ang sakay/naka-angkas kinahanglan tanan nga nakasakay sa motor naka-helmit bisan bata. I hope molungtad dili kay karon ra.
