YEAR 2023 doesn’t seem good for the lakeshore town of Taytay which has been dragged from one blunder to another – the latest of which tends to tarnish its reputation of being the garments capital of the Philippines.
In what appears to be one of those blunders, the local government came up with an executive order restricting the use of protective helmets within the peripherals of the municipality, in what they claimed as an effort to dissuade dubious characters on board motorcycles from preying on local folks.
For one, the executive order against the use of protective helmets for riders compromises the safety of motorcycle riders and their pillions.
Number two, neither an executive order nor an ordinance can supersede Republic Act 10054 (Motorcycle Helmet Act), which mandates the use of helmets and other protective gears for motorcycle riders.
Number three, the proliferation of street crimes involving dubious men on motorcycles is a police matter. Failure to curb crime translates to ineffective law enforcement.
Supported with real time statistics and recommendation of experts, no less than the World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended the strict implementation of mandatory wearing of helmets and protective gears for motorcycle riders.
According to WHO, helmets can reduce the risks of head injuries by more than 50%. They prevent the risk of death by 37% for riders and 41% for passengers. With helmets on during a crash, riders and passengers may be able to avoid serious injuries, disability, or loss of life.
With little protection for the rider in a collision or crash, the injuries victims sustain in motorbike accidents are often more severe and deadlier than in other motor vehicle crashes. Hence, the need for riders and passengers alike to comply with specific minimum safety standards set by the Department of Transportation.
Besides a helmet, riders must wear goggles and face shields if the motorbike doesn’t have a windshield.
In the Philippines, motorcycle accidents nearly doubled this year, as compared to 8,342 incidents in the entire 2022. Nearly half of all motorcycle accident fatalities are helmetless riders.
Perhaps, the local government should seriously consider doing some research before coming up with life-endangering – if not totally stupid policies.
#OpinYonRizal #Editorial #StupidityOverSafety #HelmetBan #OpinYon #WeTakeAStand