Today I went to visit Jim (not his real name), our computer technician at the hospital. Jim had a motorcycle accident, and he wasn’t wearing a helmet. He had head injuries, and needed brain surgery. Now his head has a deep dent because part of his skull had to be removed. He does not recognize anybody. He has partial paralysis. His hospital bill to date is around P500,000 and climbing. Would he have fared better if he had worn a helmet? I bet yes.
Our helmet laws may have flaws in them, and may need some revision, but doing away with any protective head gear, and giving the choice to the people whether to protect their heads or not, and even asking to be an exception from the law is tantamount to saying that it’s better to be convenient than to be safe.
Dumaguete, wake up!
The fact that we have so many motorcycles makes it even more urgent to see that the motorcycle riders are protected at all times.
Esther Windler
Consumer advocate