Malaysian Helmet Initiatives is a
consortium of university, governmental (Ministry of Health,
Department of Road Safety, etc) and non-governmental
organizations that promote the use of motorcycle and
bicycle helmets. The program is being supported by research
funds and corporate bodies.
Motorcycles are a common means of
transport both in urban and rural areas. Motorcycle helmet
legislation was introduced in the year 1980. It was the first
law to mandate the use of a consumer good which met national
safety standards. For religious reasons, the law exempted those
wearing turbans or other headgear from wearing helmets. Since
the introduction of the law, a decrease in the number of
motorcycle injuries was noted. (1) In recent years, research showed
that though a majority of motorcyclists in urban areas wore
helmets, they did not fasten the straps correctly. (2) If a helmet is not fastened
correctly, it would dislodge from the head during a crash or
fall, rendering the head susceptible to injuries. A multimedia
campaign was organized by the Road Safety Council to educate the
public on correct wearing of a motorcycle helmet.
Compliance to helmet legislation in
rural areas is of major concern and needs to be addressed since
about 70% of motorcycle fatalities occur in rural areas. The
issue of very young children being carried (without protection)
on motorcycles, especially in rural areas raises the need for
adequate public transportation as an important strategy in the
prevention of motorcycle injuries.
In recent years, the government made the
motorcycle helmet standards more stringent because of higher
speed of travel of vehicles on the road. Manufacturers of
motorcycle helmets agreed to the new standards after a survey of
standards of helmets from retail outlets showed noncompliance.
Bicycle fatalities constitute about 4%
of road fatalities in Malaysia. Majority of these fatalities are
associated with head injuries, occur in rural areas and involve
persons of all ages.
The use of bicycle helmet was rare in
Malaysia, till the 1990s. The first program was started as a
research project in 1995 under the Intensification of Research
in Priority Areas Scheme (IRPA) scheme of the government. Programs
were targeted at rural children and a school-based program was
chosen for ease of follow up for compliance. The programs
involved all relevant sectors in the Road Safety Council at
state and district levels.
School children who rode the bicycle
to school were trained in helmet use. Parents and students gave
written consent and students pledged to use the helmet at all
times when they rode their bicycles. Compliance to helmet use
was assessed by the students themselves and school authorities.
Monthly assessment was made unannounced for six months either at
school starting or ending times. Students were given a standard
questionnaire for reporting any involvement in crashes.
Compliance ranged from 31% to 98% and depended on commitment
from children and school authorities. Reasons for non-compliance
negative included negative peer pressure lack of storage places
in schools for helmets, lack lustre colour of helmets, etc.
Lessons learned included charging the children a small
co-payment the helmets (not to give helmets free), choice of
trendy colours and design for helmets, arranging storage places
for helmets in schools, involving community partners in programs
and obtaining ongoing commitment from schools. Lessons learnt
from earlier programs were implemented in subsequent programs.
Many schools expanded their programs. Two recreational bicycle
tours were organized as a road show for bicycle helmet use. At
least one bicycle helmet program has been implemented in each of
the nine states of Peninsular Malaysia.
State road safety and
health authorities have implemented several programs. Since the
first program in 1995, a total of about 4,000 students in 50
schools (involving 11 states) and about 200 teachers have been
involved in the program. One child was involved in a crash but
escaped unhurt since he was wearing his helmet.
The government is making considerable
efforts to improve public transportation to curtail the rapid
increase in number of motorcycles, especially in rural areas,
where the majority of fatal motorcycle crashes occur. Though a
motorcycle helmet law was enacted, constant monitoring is
necessary to ensure compliance. Helmet standards need to
reviewed with time to cope with increasing speed of travel.
The Malaysian Helmet Initiatives is an
excellent example where many sectors work together to prevent
head injuries.
References
-
Supramaniam V, Belle V, Sung J. Fatal
motorcycle accidents and helmet laws in
Peninsular Malaysia. Accident Analysis & Prevention.
1984;16:157-162
-
R.Krishnan, Hamidah Karim,
“Research to prevent Injuries”, World Health Forum, World
Health Organization, 1998, 19 (2) : 39 - 41
