Cool Riderz cycle club promotes road safety

The Cool Riderz Motorcycle Club continues its community activities. This time the recipient of a food basket valued at EC$ 400 was 78-year-old Henry Keri of Peruvian Vale. District Nurse Heron Butte Black of the Layou Health Centre identified Keri for the donation, and Molly Keri witnessed the presentation, along with other community members.

Members of the club seized the opportunity to promote road safety. This time emphasis was on the safe use of appropriate helmets and the wearing of seat belts.{{more}} These safety devices will only be effective in saving lives if motorbike riders wear them correctly and in the case of helmets, if they are the recommended product for use. Important to the discussion of the use of seat belts, is the safety of young children. It is recommended that an infant (birth to one year) be seated on the back seat of the vehicle, face the rear of the vehicle and be secured with a seat belt.

Although no studies have been conducted in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, numerous data exist in other countries proving that seat belts and helmets save lives. Seat belt prevents forward movement of the person in a collision, minimizing the possibility of being thrown forward towards the windscreen and the steering wheel. This forward movement and contact result in damage to the chest and underlying organs, rib cage, as well as the clavicle (collar bone). Helmets buffer the impact of contact between a moving head (skull) and the object with which it collides or make contact preventing a crushed skull. Head injury results in death or irreversible mental disability and deformity.

Wearing a helmet when riding a motorbike is of paramount importance. The right kind of helmet must be worn. The helmet should be able to absorb energy on impact and should offer face protection. Wearing the wrong kind of helmet could be fatal. Many of the motorbike related accidents that result in deaths in St. Vincent and the Grenadines might have had a better outcome if the riders wore helmets at the time of accident. The record will show that no helmets were worn.

We have touched on the physical aspects of seat belt and helmet use. There are other far-reaching consequences. The social, psychological and economic impact must also be considered.

There appear to be an increase in the use of helmets and other safety gears in the country. This is not enough, each rider; driver or passenger must comply with the safety regulations. One preventable death or disability is too much. Whenever a fatal accident occurs the entire country mourns, families suffer and friendships are broken.