Additional safety gear for Kenyan bodaboda's to reduce common injuries

The number of motorcycle accidents are greatly increasing each day due to negligence, incompetence, impunity and poor safety equipment placing a huge strain on our county health systems. This is something that can be avoided if regulations are implemented by law enforcers. If this is not addressed then majority of our county hospitals will be filled with admitted bodaboda riders and victims. Anyone who has visited Kenyatta National Hospital bodaboda victims ward will agree with this. Most of these riders have little regard to traffic rules. It is noted that most of the riders train themselves for a day or two in an open field and next day they are in business carrying passengers meaning they are not exposed to skills test. This includes observing speed limits ,maneuvering around corners, swerving and adhering to all road signs.We also have very few riders driving schools which specialize on riders in this country which is a concern.Experts have concurred with a previous study by the World Health Organisation (WHO) that expressed concern at the high number of motorcycle crashes. In a bid to enhance safety in Kenya’s motorcycle taxi business, NTSA announced new measures. These included compelling suppliers and dealers of two- and three-wheeled motorcycles to ensure they only sell vehicles complete with two helmets and two reflective jackets. Helmets and jackets should bear the registration number of the motorcycle of which afew have complied to it. The safety gear in the traffic act is not enough and only talks of helmet and high visibility jacket which can be improved a little more for the safety of the riders. A few may not agree with this but this is a fact considering the kind of common injuries we have found in the county hospitals.

When safely riding a motorcycle one should have the following equipment for road riding,A Helmet,Eye protection, Riding, Jacket with reflector's, Gloves, Riding Trousers,Leather Boots,Protection (Knee guards, bodyarmour).An American research shows that when a motorcycle passenger are not in helmets, protective suits, gloves and boots are twenty seven times more likely to die in crashes and six times likely to be injured when compared to car passenger's. A motorcyclist is two and a half times more likely to be involved in an accident when compared to a motor vehicle driver. Helmets: The primary work of a helmet is to protect the rider's head in the case of an accident, thus preventing or reducing head injury and saving the rider's life. The helmet absorbs all the impact during a crash that could have gone to the riders head. Wearing a helmet greatly reduces head injury and death. We have different types of helmets namely: Full-face, Open-face ¾ helmet, Motocross/off-road, Dual-sport, Flip up/Modular helmets.

Full face A full face helmet covers the entire head, from the base of the skull to the front of the chin. Such helmets have an open cutout in a band across the eyes and nose, and often include a clear or tinted transparent plastic face shield, known as a visor, that generally moves up and down to allow access to the face. The visor keeps the wind and insects away from your face. These helmets offer the most protection to the rider since they cover the whole face and head area. These helmets have added features such as vents to keep the rider cool, sunshields for use when sunny, chin straps for fastening, removable and washable inner lining. Off-road / Motocross A motocross helmet showing the elongated sun peak and chin bar.The motocross and off-road helmet has an elongated chin and peak, a chin bar, and partially open face to give the rider extra protection while wearing goggles and to allow the rider maximum flow of air during riding. The peak is to allow the rider to dip his or her head and provide further protection from flying debris during off road riding. It will also keep the sun out of the eyes of the rider during jumps. Modular/Flip Helmet The modular helmet is a hybrid between full face and open face helmet. It’s mainly for street use and touring. It is also referred to as the "flip-up" helmet. When fully assembled and closed, they resemble full face helmets by bearing a chin bar for absorbing face impacts. Its chin bar may be pivoted upwards. The rider may thus eat, drink or have a conversation without unfastening the chinstrap and removing the helmet .It is also popular with people who use eyeglasses as it allows them to fit a helmet without removing their glasses. This helmet is also widely used by the traffic police and bikers who do touring. Open face or 3/4 helmet Open face helmet with attached face shield The open face, or "three-quarters", helmet covers the ears, cheeks, and back of the head, but lacks the lower chin bar of the full face helmet. Many offer Snap-On visors that may be used by the rider to reduce the impact of wind, insects and the sun. An open face helmet provides the same rear protection as a full face helmet, but little protection to the face. Insects, dust, or even wind to the face and eyes can cause rider discomfort or injury. As a result, sunglasses or goggles are used with these helmets. Other open face helmets have a visor, which is more effective in stopping flying insects from entering the helmet. Dual Sport Helmets A dual sport helmet resembles an off-road helmet but it has an added feature of a visor. These are called dual sport because it can be used with the visor on and serve as a full-face helmet or with the visor removed and replaced with goggles as an off-road helmet. These helmets are popular with riders who ride both on and off road. The problem however with our bodaboda helmets are the cheap imports from China that do not meet any safety standards. A spot check proved that they are many helmets cracking on dropping them on the floor. They are so cheap some going as low as five hundred shillings but since there are no strict regulation they get away with it hence compromising the safety of Kenyan's. This is a very serious matter that need to be addressed otherwise if one had an impact then, more injuries will come your way.

Before buying a helmet you need to consider these points: 1.Your head size: measured in (cm) Adult 56cm is small, 58cm Medium, 60cm Large, 62cm XL, 64cm XXL 2. Your head shape: there are three head shapes namely Round Oval, Long Oval and Horizontal Oval. Different manufacturers have different head shaped helmets. 3. The helmet certification. Helmets are certified according to the country they are used. All American used helmets must be certified by Department of Transportation (DOT), likewise all European helmets must have the Economic Commission of Europe (ECE) certification. These two DOT and ECE are the most widely used bodies. Other helmet testing bodies are Sharp Rating –UK and the SNELL Memorial Foundation-USA. Normally a sticker is placed on the rear of the helmet showing the certification used. 4. Extra features on the helmet. Is the visor anti scratch? Is the inner lining removable and washable? What locking system they use? Ratchet or double d-ring? How many vents does the helmet have?

Riding jackets A riding jacket could either be made from leather or textile. Leather jackets are recommended for road/highway use as they reduce abrasion a lot. While textile jackets are recommended for off-road riding due to their ability to keep you cool. The riding jacket should have these features: 1. Shoulder guards, elbow guards and back protectors. These are usually specially made inserts which can be removed during cleaning. 2. Some jackets are vented for use in the hot season while others have a removable thermal lining for the cold season. While others have a double flap at the front to reduce the amount of wind/cold to the chest. 3. Some jackets have reflective stripes sewn onto them for the visibility of the rider at night, while others are made of high visibility materials such that during the day the rider is very visible 4. The style of jackets vary depending also on the bike one rides. We have jackets for commuting, touring, racing, cruisers etc. Eye Protection Depending on the helmet used a rider needs eye protection.While using an off-road helmet off-road goggles are recommended. While using an open face helmet or half face helmet road goggles or sunglasses are used.

Riding Gloves Motorcycle riding gloves are made from leather or textile. While riding on the highway leather is recommended as it is usually very good in breaking falls and it doesn’t tear quickly due to its toughness. Leather also lasts longer than textile.Textile gloves are used for off-road riding for purposes of keeping the hands cool and increasing feel. Nowadays both textile and leather gloves have carbon, Kevlar on the knuckles for protection during a fall. Riding Trousers Motorcycle riding trousers are made from leather or textile material. They have inbuilt pockets that have knee guards and hip guards which protect against a fall. Leather is recommended for highway use as it reduces abrasion drastically while the textile trousers are used for off-road riding as they keep the rider cool. The trousers also have a removable thermal inner lining for use during the cold weather. Leather Boots Motorcycle riding boots are made from leather and differ depending on the style of riding involved.There are Motocross boots, Cruiser boots, Racing boots, Commuting boots, touring boots.Motocross boots are designed specifically for off-road, motocross (MX) or off-road riding. To help prevent a rider's feet and legs from being injured, motocross boots are typically much stiffer than regular motorcycle boots or racing boots.A racing boot by TCX Racing boots are designed for riding a motorcycle on hard pavement (either the street or a race track) and are usually between 10 and 14 inches in height and made from a combination of leather, metal, and plastic. Due to the high speeds when racing they have reinforced ankles, toes and heel protection Touring boots by LT Similar to racing boots, touring boots are designed specifically for riding a motorcycle on hard pavement, but with less armored protection than racing boots since they are intended for riders that typically ride on city streets and highways, not race tracks. They are usually between 10 and 14 inches in height and made from a combination of leather, metal, hard rubber, plastic and/or man-made fabrics to create a form-fitting, but comfortable boot.

The body armor is a mesh vest that is armored on the shoulders, elbows chest and spine. It offers additional protection when worn under a jacket in case of a fall as it has the ability to absorb impact very well. They’re available in children to adult sizes.The spine guard is a worn primarily to offer protection to the spine while riding. It has two straps which support the spine guard. Both children and adult sizes are available.The chest plate is made from hard plastic and is worn mainly by motocross riders.It protects the chest from rocks and the spine from falls. It’s available in children and adult sizes.Elbow guards protect the elbows during a fall. These are mainly worn with the spine guard or chest plate. Both adult and children sizes are available.These are made from hard plastic and protect the knee and shin area during a fall. Some knee and shin guards are straight while other are hinged.In motocross riders use more advanced protection called knee braces. These offer more protection to the knee area offering a guarantee that the knee can’t break.Kidney Belt,During riding the rider experiences a lot of movements such that the kidney belt is tied around the rider’s kidney are to hold the kidneys in place and support the back also. Neck Brace A neck brace is designed to help reduce neck injuries in case of a crash

All the above are available locally at the Bikers Garage Ltd located in Warwick Center Gigiri at pocket friendly prices among other bike shops n the country. Road safety starts with me.