Powerful reason why the States were right to act on helmets
Thursday 11th March 2010, 3:00PM GMT.
From Andrew Lewis.
I HAVE been following the trail of letters outlining the pros and cons of cycle helmets in this column for some weeks.
I am frankly appalled that some of our supposedly most intelligent States Members appear to have been discounting the obvious. It is hardly rocket science to acknowledge that the chances of a significant head injury from falling off a bicycle would be significantly mitigated if the cyclist was wearing a helmet – whether an adult or a child.
I have experienced first-hand the anguish of a family suffering the terrifying effects of a catastrophic head injury caused when their nine-year-old son collided with a car in a quiet St Ouen lane.
This occurred many years ago when I was running the St Ouen’s Scout Group. The boy in question was one of my most lively and entertaining young Cub Scouts.
He was full of life, promise and optimism. Like many children of his age he thought he was invincible and that the dangers that lurked in a quiet country lane were not going to get to him. Sadly for him, what started out as a normal day of play on a beautiful day turned into near tragedy.
A few days after the accident I received a call from the father of the boy who, along with the rest of his family, was sitting out an agonising bedside vigil while his only son’s life hung in the balance.
The request was to make audiotapes of the other Cub Scouts to play back to the injured boy, in the hope that such friendly sounds would stimulate consciousness. I personally took the tapes to the hospital in Southampton, together with other gifts and cards from the cubs and other well wishers.
I spent several hours with the distraught parents, whose pain was harsh and visible. What do you say to a mother and father whose son is in a coma and, even if he regains consciousness, with no guarantee of a full recover?
We sat and talked about better times and hoped and prayed together that the ensuing days of excellent care from the staff at Southampton Hospital would reap reward and that the nightmare would be over.
I am pleased to say that the boy survived, but not without the life changing effects from his injuries staying with him and his family for the rest of their lives.
With the help of Headway and a loving, supportive family the boy has gone on to have a meaningful and fulfiling life. Had the wearing of helmets been as commonplace then as wearing a seatbelt is today this family’s life may have been very different.
The anguish on that father’s face on that day in Southampton will live with me for ever. That father was Deputy Andrew Green.
Travel
To, from and around the Island
Airport Arrivals & Departures
Harbours Arrivals & Departures
Bus Information & Timetables
JOIN US ON...
Facebook and Twitter
Follow us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
Got a story? Get in touch
KIT 4 CLUBS
Win a share of £10,000
2012 is the year of the London Olympics and to celebrate this great event the Jersey Evening Post, in association with sponsors Ogier is giving all sporting clubs a chance to win a share of £10,000.
This is Jersey
Jersey Evening Post
Useful links
This personal tragedy does not give him the right to inflict his preferences on the rest of us.
Perhaps better training on how to ride a bike, or better enforcement of the 15mph green lane speed limits would have contributed to a happier outcome.
who is going to apologise to the parents of a quadriplegic whose neck has been broken due to a cheep polystyrene cycle helmet
Report abuse
Andrew please look at ALL of the facts, not only a tragic and personal story (there are many studies out there – just do some research). Although what happened that day is truly terrible it doesn’t make passing this law the right thing to do. Politics have to base decisions on more than this, and it’s a shame that they haven’t been able to do this in Jersey.
The helmet law is the true tragedy to come out of this story.
Report abuse
Stable door… Horse… Bolted.
Deputy Green is forcing a law on others because of his own inadequacies as a parent to ensure his son was wearing a helmet. Does he really think that a 9 year old would wear a helmet because it is te law and wouldn’t wear one because their parents told them to?
We should not bear the guilt of his mistake. I will ensure my child wears a helmet as my choice not because he has issues with his own mistake. Be a parent first as you may be better than you are a politician
Report abuse
I personally think there are other more important things that urgently need addressing by the states. Why aren’t they concentrating on the most important first, rather than those lower down the order?
Indeed PJG makes a valid comment cylce helmets can kill as well. I also think parents should know what is best for their children and be able to act accordingly without the need for government intervention all the time.
Report abuse
I hear what this letter says about the grief and anguish and the wonderful efforts of the scout troop, and the vigil of the dad – Andrew Green. All that does not make a helmet law the right response.
Helmets only give limited protection in some circumstances. They give riders a false sense of security, after all the government, the police, the road safety people have all ordered the child to wear a helmet, therefore they have implicitly told the child “you are safer.” They are not safer.
Nothing has been done to create safer riding conditions, an accident is just as likely as before if not more so, and attention has been taken away from far far more important issues: the skills of the rider, the quality of the bike, its care and maintenance, to name but three.
Headway and the States, if this law succeeds manages to get drafted and passed, will have conspired to make cycling more dangerous, to reduce cycling, to hasten the decline towards the inactive society. The absolute need is to go in the opposite direction – more cyclists, more safety, better health.
Health costs due to inactivity are estimated by our own health department to reach £87 million by 2050. This is unaffordable. Yet the Ministers for Health and for Treasury and Resources voted to make things worse for every taxpayer.
Anyone who wants to help turn Jersey into a true mecca for cycling, and /or who finds that this law is bad law and wants to stop it from happening please contact me. d.wimberley@gov.je
Report abuse
Andrew Lewis effectively questions the intelligence of those who have researched the subject objectively rather than rely upon emotion and ignorance of such research. That is somewhat insulting. Israel has partially revoked its cycle helmet law. Perhaps Andrew could use his greater intelligence to research why.
Report abuse
Paragraph 3 speaks volumes -
‘I have experienced first-hand the anguish of a family suffering the terrifying effects of a catastrophic head injury caused when their nine-year-old son collided with a car in a quiet St Ouen lane.’
Is it me or is everyone missing the point on how the injuries are ’caused’?
Education people education……….
Report abuse
Most people have what’s known as a reflex action which makes them protect their head in an accident. I came off my bike many times when I was younger and my head was never an issue. I scraped my face on a wall once, and if I’d been wearing a big overhanging helmet then it might have pushed my head over causing a neck injury.
The worst one I suffered hurt my knee more than anything, which hasn’t been the same since. I’m afraid to say I value my safety too much to commute by cycle any more, as too many injuries are the sort you never fully recover from. I view my motoring expenses as insurance against ending up an organ donor.
Why not go the whole hog and call for knee and elbow pads too?
Report abuse
We have a £64 MILLION DEFICIT and the States are wasting time discussing this.
I saw three young cyclists in town last night, no lights, no helments, cycling on the pavements. How many police are going to be needed to make this work.
I already see people driving in cars whilst on the phone, no seatbelt and speeding on a daily basis and no one seems to do any thing about this.
Whole thing is a joke
Report abuse
I was moved by this letter. It is a very sad story and I have every sympathy for Deputy Green and his family and I do understand the intent behind pushing this legislation forward.
I do strongly feel however that turning not wearing a helmet into an illegal act is out of proportion with the risk it poses. I would ask Mr Lewis to consider whether imposing criminal sanctions (however minor) on the victims of such accidents would be fair or reasonable?
RB
Report abuse
lets face it, nobody wants to get hurt, nobody would like to see someone else suffer a brain injury.
Take it to the schools, educate, don’t legislate. Show the students what could happen, show graphic examples of head injuries, show videos of people coping in their new world.
Do this while the law is being drafted, then maybe it will not be needed.
Be proactive, educate them, then let people decide.
Report abuse