On motorcycle safety

CEBU, Philippines - For Dennis Noel Poquita, going to and from work by motorcycle is much easier than commuting or driving a four-wheeled vehicle. "It weaves easily between lanes, especially in the dreadful traffic of Metro Cebu" quips Dennis, who works at one of the call centers. The motorcycle is a wonder machine for many because it is much cheaper to purchase and maintain. For as low as P2,000 down payment, an individual can easily own one. It provides better mileage per liter of fuel.

In far flung areas, the motorcycle is a very popular mode of transportation like the habal-habal and the "skylab", a motorbike fitted with a horizontal board at back that can seat several passengers across. Riding a motorcycle has many advantages over a car because it is cheaper to run, easier to repair and park, flexible in traffic, among others.

Together with the motorcycles popularity comes the whacking. It is now being linked with criminal activities as well as the contributor in the increase of road accidents. Bad reality is this – some riders do use their machine for criminal purposes, some run aggressively on the road, and motorcycle accidents can and will happen.

According to the data obtained by the Department of Health-National Electronic Injury Surveillance system (NEISS) fact sheet, of the 2,011 vehicular accidents that were recorded for the third quarter of last year, 52.1 percent of those cases involved motorcycles. Orthopedic surgeons claim that most deaths related to motorcycle accidents are results of head injuries. Thus, the most important tip for motorcycle safety is to wear a helmet.

Helmets

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), helmets aim to cut the risk of serious head and brain injury by reducing the impact of a force to the head. Wearing a motorcycle helmet has been shown to decrease the risk and severity of injuries by about 72 percent and decreases the likelihood of death by up to 39 percent with the probability depending on the speed of the motorcycle involved. According to the data from NEISS, only 7.6 percent of the total number involving motorcycle accidents from the same period last year wore helmets.

On Philippine roads, motorcycle riders and passengers seldom use a helmet. If they wear one, it is substandard and will not serve any protection in motorcycle crashes. Young motorcycle riders meanwhile choose not to wear a helmet because of their tendency to behave in a risky manner. Others are concerned that a helmet will mess up their hairstyles. And for children as passengers, appropriately sized helmets may not be available to them.

Thus the WHO recommends to its member countries to adopt strategies to increase helmet use, which include, mandatory helmet laws, helmet distribution among school children, particularly among young people who have less disposable income, introduce a helmet standard to raise the quality of helmets being used and to conduct helmet public awareness campaigns.

Preventing motorcycle accidents

For the motorcycle rider, here are some tips you can follow to drastically limit the chance of an accident:

1. Play by the rules

• Follow traffic signs.

• Take a motorcycle safety course. Many motorcycle accidents happen because the rider is inexperienced.

• Practice your motoring skills and do not let anyone ride with you until you are a skilled driver.

• Resist the urge to speed.

• Do not drink alcohol and drive.

2. Be Seen

• Proper lane position is important. It helps drivers see you and protect your driving space. Do not hide in a driver's blind spot, and always signal before making a move.

• When approaching the pinnacle or top of a hill or overpass of a highway on a motorcycle, you should move away from the center line to avoid collision in case an oncoming vehicle is in your lane.

• Always ride with your headlights on, especially at nighttime.

3. Invest in Quality Gear

• Aside from a helmet that meets protection standards, invest in quality motorcycle boots, leather jackets and leather gloves to protect your skin against the cold, wind and injuries in case of a fall.

• Help other vehicles see or notice you. At night, reflective material is best and shows up in car headlights. Reflective tape can be put on clothing, bags and equipment. Avoid loose, flailing clothing that could impair your vision.

• Wear eye and face protection.

Be alert

1. Don't drive when you are sleepy. Your eyes must always be on the road.

2. Watch out for road hazards, like potholes, large cracks, bumps and wet roads.

3. Watch out for pedestrians and other vehicles, particularly those coming from driveways and side streets.

4. Never let a passenger get on your motorcycle until after you start it.

5. Make sure your passengers feet can reach the footrests and insist that your passengers feet stay on the footrests at all times, even when you stop. Also instruct your passenger to keep his/her legs away from the muffler to avoid burns.

6. Insist that your passenger hold on to your waist during the entire ride.

7. Instruct your passenger to limit movement.

The life you save maybe your own. So, its better be safe than sorry. Using a motorcycle should entail safety for the driver, the passenger and other motorists, as well.