FREQUENCY OF HELMET USE AMONG MOTORCYCLE RIDERS IN RAWALPINDI

Objective: To find the frequence of helmet use as a safety tool andto investigate how many of the motorcyclists are aware of the beneficial effects of using a helmet. Design: A crosssectional study. Place and Duration of Study: In Community Medicine Department of Foundation University MedicalCollege, Rawalpindi from March 2007 to September 2007. Material and Methods: A total of 1000 questionnaires wererandomly distributed among motorcyclists during visits to Lalkurti, Saddar and Karchi chowk in Rawalpindi. Inclusioncriteria included those motor bike rider volunteering to participate in the study.44 responses were invalid and the totalvalid responses were therefore 956. No incentive was offered for participation in the study and no individual follow- upwas possible. Results: From a total sample size of 956 riders 541 were putting on a helmet and 415 were without thehelmet. The frequence of helmet use was therefore 56.6% and that the use non user is 43.4%. A bog majority i.e 80.7%of the respondents left that use of helmet while riding a motorbike should be mandatory while only 19.3% left that itshould be the discretion of the riders.57.6% of the riders left that in case of pillion riding both the riders should put onthe helmet while 42.4% did not support the idea. Conclusion: The study implies that we need to enact and enforcepolicy intervention for mandatory use of helmet, effective traffic law enforcement and imparting awareness among ourmasses especially the younger generation to reduce Road Traffic Accidents. Print and electronic media should beutilize extensively to disseminate basic traffic knowledge at all levels of the society.