Cheap, fake helmets putting bikers at risk

BETWEEN 11:27 and 11:37 a.m. yesterday, at least 20 motorcycles entered the Oxford and Belmont roads intersection outside the Jamaica National building in St Andrew. Of that number, four riders and two pillions were not wearing helmets, while the others wore protective headgear of all colours, shapes, sizes, and styles.

Riders wearing no headgear is most troubling, but road safety experts expressed concerns yesterday about the protection that comes from some of what is referred to as the “ice-buckets”, being used as helmets, many of which, they argued, would crumple easily in major collisions.

These flimsy helmets are widely worn, they said.

The helmet issue is so serious that the Jamaica National Foundation, in collaboration with the National Road Safety Council (NRSC), and the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile, signed an agreement to form a National Helmet Wearing Coalition locally.

The three-year agreement is funded by the FIA Foundation to the tune of €750,000 (J$127 million), with supplementary funding from the JN Group Limited.

The agreement was formally signed yesterday by Aggie Krasnolucka, programmes director of the FIA Foundation, Earl Jarrett, chief executive officer and deputy chairman of the JN Group, and Lucien Jones.

Among the alliance’s major tasks is to promote road safety through helmet-wearing, as well as to champion discussions regarding helmet quality and safety standards locally.

The project will include academic research, communication and marketing, partnership and resource mobilisation, and advocacy.

Road fatalities are the second leading cause of violent deaths in Jamaica. So far this year, there have been 235 road fatalities, a decrease year to date from 291 last year. Overall, there were 488 deaths last year, the worst in the country’s history, according to the NRSC.

Last year 107 pedestrians, 141 motorcyclists, and 16 pedal cyclists died on the nation’s roads, while 74 motorcyclists have died in crashes since January.

“Riders of motorcycles, or powered two-wheeler bikes, are the users most at risk for death in our country. Over 90 per cent of them do not wear a helmet, therefore, many die because of head injuries from crashes,” explained Lucien Jones, vice-chairman of the NRSC.

“Today we make a start to create an environment in which we hope to encourage significantly more riders and pillion passengers to wear helmets, and helmets which are of a high standard,” continued Jones.

EASY ACCESS A PROBLEM

The problem, however, is that motorcycles are becoming easily accessible to youngsters who fail to adhere to efficient safety standards.

Part of the blame can also be levelled at the motorcycle manufacturers and sales outlets.

“The helmets that are being sold with some of the motorcycles that we are seeing now are inferior. They are just pretty much cosmetics, it is really not approved or certified helmets,” argued Conrad Wiggan, chairman of the Island Bikers Association.

He said helmets are certified by two US standards – those approved by the Department of Transportation and others tested through the SNELL Foundation laboratories.

Last November, 43-year-old Herbert Reid of Denham Town in Kingston was killed after he slammed into the back of a parked Toyota Wish motor car on Marcus Garvey Drive in Kingston. He was wearing a helmet but it was cracked open upon impact.

“There is usually certification signage at the back of the helmet, even though, like everything else, some people are duplicating them. But usually, you can tell if it’s a proper helmet from the weight and feel as well as the price,” explained Wiggan, who was drawn to motorcycles at age five.

“The appeal is really the power of the machine and every little boy likes a powerful machine, whether bike or bicycle,” he said. “But riders who don’t use helmets are really playing Russian roulette with their lives. They might be lucky today but tomorrow they might not be alive.”

corey.robinson@gleanerjm.com