Dgte Police warns
At least 10 of the 138 motorbike accidens in Dumaguete the past two months have resulted in head injuries because the drivers were not wearing the prescribed safety helmet.
Police Chief Master Sgt. Rolando Jamosmos at the Dumaguete Police Station said majority of the accidents involved unlicensed drivers, drunk driving, and reckless driving.
He noted, however, that while the victims were wearing helmets, these were not the prescribed type that could help prevent head injuries.
A motorcycle helmet can help protect the head if it has at least these three basic features: a hard outer shell to deflect the force of an impact and prevent any object from puncturing it/the head; an inner layer of polystyrene foam to absorb impact and prevent the brain from hitting against the skull; and a fabric and foam liner for comfort.
A DOT-certified helmet refers to standards of the US Department of Transportation. An ECE-rated helmet refers to standards of the Economic Commission for Europe, the same guidelines subscribed by the Department of Trade & Industry here.
Jamosmos lamented that the common helmets worn by motorbike riders here resemble a coconut [shape], and lack the necessary thickness to adequately protect the user’s head.
“The quality of the helmet, like a full-face helmet, matters,” he said in the vernacular.
A full-face helmet is a single-shell head gear that guarantees protection for both the head and the chin.
He also said motorbike accidents in Dumaguete due to drunk-driving usually happen at dawn, and that majority of the victims are students driving without licenses.
The police also noted how the parents/guardians of the young drivers have a role in their children’s driving habits. “Ang uban man gud gitugutan ra sa parents na magdrive ila studyante.” (Some students are casually allowed by their parents to drive around.)
Not all the motorbike victims are students though. Jamosmos said some are adults driving without license, and even making a livelihood out of it.
He further noted that those driving without a license often find themselves at a loss when confronted with the legal repercussions, as they are unaware of the appropriate course of action to take.
Jamosmos cited how some motorbike drivers “pasagad lang ug drive” (driving with wanton neglect): like sudden overspeeding, swerving to the left, and overtaking on the right.
A check at the Negros Oriental Provincial Hospital showed that this month alone, at least eight patients were rushed to the hospital by ONe Rescue Emergency Medical Services, a private team of medical experts here.
Odell Lyn Villahermosa, registered nurse at the NOPH records section, said most of the emergency patients involved head injuries due to vehicle accidents.
Jamosmos said such accidents frequently happen in intersections, like the Batinguel Road and the four-lane Diversion Road. “That’s why it’s crucial to exercise caution while driving,” he said, even while enforcers of the Dumaguete Traffic Management Office are now stationed in these once-isolated road junctions.
To ensure stress-free road driving in Dumaguete, Jamosmos gave the public three basic road tips: 1) Follow road rules; 2) Stop for pedestrians crossing the street; 3) Stop, look, and listen in intersections. (Nicole Villarin, SU Masscom)
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Photo Caption: Daily road scene in Dumaguete during peak hours. (Photo by Nicole Villarin)
