Petition aims to get children to wear motorbike helmets

[Lord Lucan]

Maybe make it compulsory when a motor cycle is sold. Buyers must buy 2 children's helmets or they cant buy the bike. After that if caught with a child on the bike without a helmet fine. Second time confiscate the bike

I was given 2 free helmets by the dealer when I purchased my new Honda PCX last year, granted they were not childrens helmets but there again I don't have any children.

As for a 2000 Baht fine there's going to be a lot parents in Prison.

[gandalf12]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Maybe make it compulsory when a motor cycle is sold. Buyers must buy 2 children's helmets or they cant buy the bike. After that if caught with a child on the bike without a helmet fine. Second time confiscate the bike

I was given 2 free helmets by the dealer when I purchased my new Honda PCX last year, granted they were not childrens helmets but there again I don't have any children.
As for a 2000 Baht fine there's going to be a lot parents in Prison.

Sell the bike to pay the fine

[northernphil]

I think a very good selection of comments here and all are valid. Teachers and parents don't wear hats so why should the kids on their way to school. Why can't the gov'mnt do an advertising program on tv and in schools showing 2 identical twins coming out of school with one wearing a crash helmet and one not ,both riding identical scooters with the caption Which of these twins is the smarter ? Another idea as seen here is hats painted in the school colours. Up north where I live the kids are proud of their uniform so a hat should be no problem. Come to school with no hat and the BIB take the scooter away until they do, another thought. Oh and crash hats fot the ones that hang off the back of school buses.

[marko kok prong]

Lady in my village always drives round with a helmet;IN THE BASKET at the front of the bike,i think she has seen the 100% sign,but has not worked out the helmet is actually meant to be on her head.

[ToddinChonburi]

How about enforcing the law !!!!!! WHAT THE HELL !!!!!!!

[loxley99]

A start BUT ...I just find it incredulous that helmets are not worn ..IT IS THE LAW !

In Vietnam they brought in a law for wearing helmets and within a week all were wearing them ...the police simply do not enforce the law - Second highest death rate in the world on Thai roads - 26,312 in 2014 according to WHO. In the region of 80% motorcyclists .. leaving countless wives/husbands widowed, children fatherless /motherless - at best not wearing a helmet is selfish at worst criminal - it is as if 6 jumbo jets crashed in Thailand every month !!! ..would that get some action?

I recall in England when I drove a bike and the laws on helmets where introduced and many scoffed at it and had the police not enforced it I am sure many would have ignored it but eventually everyone did and now would now think it crazy not to - albeit the idiot falangs I see not wearing them here amaze me they must be stupid and should know better ! In Australia it is even the law to wear a helmet on a bicycle !

What is needed is first, the law enforced by the police and second, a comprehensive education program, posters, TV etc if needs be sponsored by the motor cycle manufacturers . But this is just common sense, and a willingness by authorities to commit to a program and for reasons beyond me does not seem to be part of the culture ...so in May we will see another 2234 people killed ...or 4469 parents morning the loss of their child ....is it not worth some effort to stop this carnage !!!

[IMA_FARANG]

Heavy fine for the driver of the motor cycle is required. By heavy lets say Baht 2000

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Simple solution.

Anyone riding a bike with no helmet just supplies name, address. and next of kin to send body to before starting bike.

When stopped by police without helmet offender is simply shot in head and body is returned to next of kin.

After a sort period there will be only two kinds of motorcycle riders.... the careful and the quick learners.

Both of these will be a overall benefit to Thailand.

[gandalf12]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Heavy fine for the driver of the motor cycle is required. By heavy lets say Baht 2000

---------------------------------

Simple solution.

Anyone riding a bike with no helmet just supplies name, address. and next of kin to send body to before starting bike.

When stopped by police without helmet offender is simply shot in head and body is returned to next of kin.

After a sort period there will be only two kinds of motorcycle riders.... the careful and the quick learners.

Both of these will be a overall benefit to Thailand.

So says a moron

[richard_smith237]

Maybe make it compulsory when a motor cycle is sold. Buyers must buy 2 children's helmets or they cant buy the bike. After that if caught with a child on the bike without a helmet fine. Second time confiscate the bike

....someone buying a motorcycle must also purchase 2 children helmets ?.... come on, these forced policies are all daft... as we see already, every car has a seatbelt, getting people to wear them is a different matter.

Good Laws are already in place...

As with ALL of these issues in Thailand, the main failure is the lazy, careless and shoddy enforcement of these laws.

When the people up the food chain really care, things will improve. Until then the self-centredness of those in decision making positions will hinder many aspects which could be readily and easily improved upon.

Education is also another key point: Nearly everyone watches TV - it wouldn't take too much effort and cost to place safety campaigns on TV informing parents of the dangers they are placing their children in.

[davidbond]

why in the west does every body wear helmut and not in thailand ,is it due to the police that do the job there paid to do ,is it due to the fact that in thailand theres nothing in the head that needs protection

[Moonlover]

We were visiting the wife's village a while back on some holiday or other. (can't remember which one) One of my wife's nephews is a really nice guy. He's a Military Policeman, cheerful and very friendly.

As it was a holiday he was entertaining the kids on his scrambler. Two kids at a time, racing around the village and up and down the country lanes. No helmets of course, this was just for fun.

So what imprint has that experience left on the kids minds? Motorcycles are toys, the roads are a playground and helmets are not necessary.

No wonder there are so many deaths among young motorcyclists. Until the adults set good examples, there is little hope for the upcoming generations.

[billd766]

Good to see they also explained how NOT to wear a helmet - as displayed by the model in the middle.

Or the one on the left who hasn't bothered to do the strap up.

If this government wants to be accused of populism they should buy millions of childrens helmets and get the police to stop every biker not wearing a helmet and give them a free one. Each helmet should be labelled as issued by the government and has no pawn or resale value.

They should also take the details down of that person plus the bike registration and if the person is not wearing the helmet they will be fined an amount and the bike confiscated until the fine is paid.

[billd766]

So the start a petition ... this simply goes to show they are NOT capable of enforcing the law.

Certainly things and the law should change. They should ensure that no child under the age of 10 is permitted to ride pillion and no person under the age of 17 should be permitted to operate a vehicle and that should only be permitted after extensive training and a written test.

Please tell me how you will get millions of rural children to school? Let them walk 3 or 4 km each way carrying all the school stuff in all weathers perhaps?

[berybert]

Yesterday I saw a boy who was no more than 12 riding a motorbike with no helmet same as his 10yr old passenger.

So underage to ride the bike.

No helmet.

No license.

No insurance.

And do you think mister policeman would bother to stop him.

[godden]

Brat hats, hope it catches on.

[alanrchase]

Yesterday I saw a boy who was no more than 12 riding a motorbike with no helmet same as his 10yr old passenger.

So underage to ride the bike.

No helmet.

No license.

No insurance.

And do you think mister policeman would bother to stop him.

Patents are obviously not bothered about it. Police have a responsibility to enforce the law but parents should also be held responsible when underage riding goes on.

[h90]

School gate: no helmet? No school.

Simple, logical, won't happen - I know....

No school, going to get some beer....no problem....

[Godders]

What Thai children need most is protection from parents and relatives who ferry them around like sacks of rice.

How many times do we see young kids, toddlers and even babies carried under one arm, perched precariously between the driver's legs and holding on to the handlebars, or standing on the pillion seat between two other passengers?

Of course crash helmets should be compulsory to reduce the brain damage caused by young heads hitting the ground in accidents. But what is one to do about their adult supervisors who appear to be permanently brain damaged before they even get on a motorcycle?

[bob009]

"Petition" Am I missing something here. Make it Law with a heavy fine if caught not wearing one. That should be for all passengers as well. Nobody should be riding a motor bike anywhere without a helmet.I have never understood the logic up here in Phetchabun on taking the helmet off once outside the city limit. "The Law is an ass".!!!!!

[bkk75]

Simple solution but difficult to implement in Thailand. No helmet heavy fine.

Or leave it be. Weeds out stupidity in this country.

[Alwyn]

Good idea but the implemtation leaves a bit to be desired. A photograph of some totyy wearing ill fitting helmets inappropriately will not do the job. Most of the helmets on sale here are nonsense and probably more dangerous than no helmet. Could the government not be a bit more proactive? A campaign featuring some horrendous photos of accidents carnage. We used to do this in the UK when the government brought in the seat belt law - clunk click every trip etc. Maybe include crash helmets with the sale of new bikes? (funded by the government not the bike shops)? Confiscate bikes if there's a rider without a helmet - even if only for a month or a week? Just showing a photo of some crumpet wearing ridonklious lids that don't fit is just plain stupid.

[Moonlover]

"Petition" Am I missing something here. Make it Law with a heavy fine if caught not wearing one. That should be for all passengers as well. Nobody should be riding a motor bike anywhere without a helmet.I have never understood the logic up here in Phetchabun on taking the helmet off once outside the city limit. "The Law is an ass".!!!!!

'I have never understood the logic up here in Phetchabun on taking the helmet off once outside the city limit. "The Law is an ass".!!!!!'

The logic is quite simple really, providing you're a Thai. Within city limits there is enforcement and the possibility of fines. Beyond the cities, and particularly in the rural areas, there is virtually no enforcement. Thais generally only wear a helmet when there is a risk of being fined.

I pointed out previously, during recent discussions on the so called 'dangerous seven days' that whilst the law enforcement is concentrating its efforts on holiday traffic, the carnage in the rural areas goes on unabated. No enforcement equals no compliance. And that applies during the '365 dangerous days'.

[duckmandon]

Good to see they also explained how NOT to wear a helmet - as displayed by the model in the middle.

They are not models but a Korean pop band who are trying to stop the road carnage. I say good on them. If this works then well & good.

[Surasak]

A very good idea and better late than never. However, all pigs fed and ready to fly.

[matman]

Excellent Idea making children wear helmets, but need the law changing to enforce it. Now I know that many of you will laugh at the thought of police enforcement. But in place of the small fine for not wearing a helmet (Adult or child) the Police should impound the bike for seven days. The loss of transport for a week will hit harder than having to pay a small fine. When collecting an impounded bike they will have to take along the green book and show that it is currently taxed and insured. That would 'net' any that were not covered and perhaps Identify many bikes that have been stolen. Bikes that are not collected after one month could be sold.

[maidee]

thailand being a buddist country, if you are dead on arrival in a thai hospital, will/ may they take your organs without permission to save someone else ?

do thai people, if it is their family, ever give permission to take organs or they want the body to be intact to be burned on the stake at the temple a few days / weeks later ?

[akampa]

All the ideas here are good and enforcement of the law would help ,but the most important part of chidren wearing helmets is the parents they are the only ones that can enforce the wearing of crash helmets.I know because I can prove it works with my two kids one is 3 the other is 6 ,now if mum goes to the bike without her helmet one of the chidren reminds her to put it on .

[Moonlover]

thailand being a buddist country, if you are dead on arrival in a thai hospital, will/ may they take your organs without permission to save someone else ?

do thai people, if it is their family, ever give permission to take organs or they want the body to be intact to be burned on the stake at the temple a few days / weeks later ?

Well, you are somewhat off topic. But, yes organ donation does take place in Thailand and the Thai Red Cross operates a donor registration scheme. I have no idea whether the family can override the donor's decision.

Incidentally, Buddhists are cremated on a funeral pyre not 'on the stake'. That's how witches were dispatched in medieval Europe.

Edited May 2, 2015 by Moonlover

[fabphil]

Er what about the school kids that r the drivers of the bikes, usually 3 up going and coming from school, how about starting with having a licence first,

[Somtamnication]

Never mind the helmets. We are too busy riding like this: