MALACCA: “It is just a short distance” is often an excuse used by motorists for not wearing a motorcycle helmet when sending children to school.
However, state Transport Committee chairman Datuk Mohd Sofi Abdul Wahab said this excuse must never be used as accidents could happen regardless of distance.
He said from his observation, many parents still regarded wearing helmets as trivial, by not wearing it themselves as well as not putting them on their children.
“In the morning and afternoon, parents send or pick up their children from school. This is the peak period, so the probability of accidents happening is higher,” he said.
According to statistics from the Road Safety Department, motorcyclists and pillion riders recorded the highest death rate in Malaysia, with 4,128 deaths from 6,284 road users who died last year.
Mohd Sofi said it was also sad that some parents or guardians wore helmets but their children did not.
“I think that is selfish of the parents or guardians as they are not concerned about the safety of their children,” he said.
He said they were exposing their children to great risk because helmets were important in reducing the risk of head injuries.
“In the event of a blow to the unprotected head, there is a high possibility of nerve damage and death. I hope parents are aware and will be more concerned about the importance of wearing a helmet, especially among children,” said Mohd Sofi, who hoped that schools could help to remind parents and students of the importance of helmets.
He also urged the Road Safety Council Malaysia to revive its helmet-wearing campaign in schools.
Meanwhile, civil servant Mohd Hanafiah Mohd Salim, 46, said the habit of not wearing a helmet when sending or picking up children was common.
“Everybody knows it is a rule to wear a helmet, but when they ride without it every day, they do not see it as a rule, especially when enforcement is lax. The enforcers should set up roadblocks near schools and issue warnings to motorists,” he said.
A private college lecturer, Sarimah Ismail, 42, also said that many parents did not use correctly sized helmets for children.
“In the event of an accident, an oversized helmet would come off and fail to protect the child’s head. Some also use helmets which are worn out with broken straps or are cracked,” said the mother-of-three.
