Motorcyclists Helmets in Ibadan, Nigeria

Contributed by A.O. Sangowawa , B.J. Adekunle, B. Faseru, and B.T. Alagh

As in many countries of the world, private and commercial motorcycle use in Nigeria has been an increasing. Motorcycles are affordable to buy and not expensive to operate, and they maneuver well on poorly maintained roads.

Although one quarter of the road traffic injury victims who require hospital admission have sustained a traumatic brain injury (WHO), and helmets can help reduce fatal and serious injuries by 20% - 45%, helmet use by commercial motorcyclists and their passengers is low in Nigeria. This is spite of the fact that there has been a motorcycle helmet law in place since the late 1970s. Compliance and enforcement of the helmet law has been sporadic. Attempts to change the law to include passengers in the provisions have met with resistance, so helmet use among passengers is almost nil.

In Ibadan, Nigeria, a pilot study to assess rates of helmet use among motorcyclists in was conducted in November, 2004. This study was conducted at the same time the Federal Road Safety Commission was enforcing helmet wearing in the metropolis. Although 83.6% of the motorcyclists used helmets, only 57.1% had them correctly worn. No passengers were wearing helmets. The motorcyclists incorrectly wore their helmets in a variety of ways: 6 strapped them incorrectly, 45 did not fasten the chin straps, 2 used light-weight construction site helmets and 6 hung their helmets on the handle bars of their motorcycles, instead of wearing them.

As a result of the survey, more efforts must be made to increase helmet use by motorcyclists and pillion passengers and to ensure that when they are worn, they are worn properly. Research is needed to determine the reasons for incorrect and non-use of helmets. Without research and a campaign to increase helmet use, morbidity and mortality from head injuries secondary to motorcycle crashes will continue to rise.

References

1. Peden et al, eds. World Report on road traffic injury prevention Geneva: World Health Organization, 2004.
2. Sangowawa Adesola O, Ekanem S.E.U, Alagh B.T, Faseru B, Ebong I.P.  Helmet Use among Motorcyclists in Ibadan, North West Local Government Area, Oyo State, Nigeria. In Proceedings of the Public Health Association of Southern Africa (PHASA); Third Public Health Conference, 16 – 17 May 2006, Johannesburg, South Africa.

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