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 It was some time during September last year that a debate began in Tamil Nadu on whether helmets should be made compulsory for drivers and riders of two-wheelers. (I am not sure what the outcome has been.) According to an estimate, not more than 40 per cent of two-wheeler owners in Tamil Nadu possess a helmet and not more than 7 to 8 per cent wear it while either driving or riding on a two-wheeler.
The debate may go on forever and as long as it continues, we will continue to lose our intelligent heads. But really speaking, there is no room for debate. The Central Motor Vehicles Act 1988 very clearly and unambiguously makes it mandatory for riders and drivers of two-wheelers to use a helmet. However, the enforcement being left to the state governments gives room for ambiguity.
Section 129 of Motors Vehicles Act 1988 deals with wearing of protective headgear and reads as under: "Every person driving or riding on a motorcycle of any class or description shall, while in a public place, wear a protective headgear of such description as may be specified by rules made by the state government. Provided that the provisions of this section shall not apply to a Sikh if while driving a motorcycle he is wearing a turban: provided further that the state Government by such rules provide such exceptions as it may think fit."
 The primary concern though should be the safety of those who use a two-wheeler. Most two-wheeler accidents result in serious head injuries and a majority of these lead to fatalities. Dr.K.Ganapathy, Senior Consultant Neurosurgeon, Apollo Hospitals, Chennai, says "In 24 years, having personally managed at least 6,000 cases of head injuries, I can count on fingers of one hand the number of deaths among the group of two-wheeler riders wearing helmets. This is in stark contradiction to the large number of deaths encountered amongst two-wheeler riders with unprotected skulls. Most of us have thick skulls, but they are not thick enough."
The people who succumb to head injuries are generally 20 to 39 years in age. This being the most productive age group, these deaths and injuries are not only an enormous loss of productive human resource, but also have serious implications for the health budget of the country. Even with advanced and intensive medical therapy and skilled neurosurgical procedures, not many lives can be saved. Even those that are saved at times become pathetically disabled, imposing a great burden on society in general and the family in particular.
A two-wheeler is much more vulnerable than a four-wheeler. According to available statistics, per mile travelled, the number of deaths on two-wheelers is about 14 times the number in cars. Motorcycles have rapid acceleration and high speeds. They are less stable than cars in emergency braking and less visible. Motorcyclists are more prone to crash injuries than car drivers because motorcycles are not enclosed, leaving the rider vulnerable to contact on hard road surfaces. This is why wearing a helmet is important. Helmets are the principal countermeasure for reducing crash-related head injuries, that are so often fatal or crippling.
 Helmets decrease the severity of injury and thus the likelihood of death and the overall cost of medical care. They're designed to cushion and protect riders' heads from the impact of a crash. Helmets cannot provide total protection against head injury or death, but they do reduce the incidence of both. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of the USA estimates that helmets reduce the risk of death in a motorcycle crash by 29 per cent and the risk of fatal head injury by 40 per cent.
Helmets are even more effective in preventing brain injuries, which often require extensive treatment and may result in lifelong disability. Studies show that two-wheeler riders without helmets are three times more likely to suffer traumatic brain injuries in a crash than helmeted riders.
(to be continued)
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