Date:27/12/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/12/27/stories/2006122704431002.htm

Opinion - Letters to the Editor

Helmets and safety

This refers to the editorial "Helmets keep heads safe" (Dec. 23). In the beginning of the year, I met with an accident as a result of which I sustained injury in my spinal cord and fractured my shoulder. I lost my vision in one eye and am not certain whether I will get it back. I have spent a lot of money on my treatment but not a day passes without enormous pain. All this happened because of one fault of mine — of not wearing the helmet.

R. Venkatramani,
Chennai

I appreciate the editorial for its valuable advice. I hope at least a small percentage of two-wheeler riders will start using helmets after reading it. I wonder why, even for following safety measures to protect one's life one needs a decree.

M.S. Raghavan,
Madurai

The extremely bad state of roads is also a reason why helmet-wearing should be made compulsory. Colleges and offices should not allow the students and employees who do not wear helmets to park their two-wheelers on their premises.

Nisha Philip,
Chennai

The media and people keep talking about the autorickshaw menace and biscuit bandits. But auto drivers continue to fleece passengers while biscuit bandits continue to fool gullible passengers on trains. Similar is the case with wearing helmets. While it is known that helmets can save lives, many fight shy of wearing them.

The helmet should therefore be made more attractive and fashionable. It should be gifted to people during weddings. There should be attractive ad campaigns exhorting people to wear helmets. Their sales can be boosted with offers such as `buy a cell phone, get a helmet free.' Television serials can promote scenes of beautiful girls refusing to marry men who do not wear helmets.

N. Advik,
Chennai