The students of Garden City College (GCC) and their sister institution Deva Matha Central School (DMCS) had strapped their college bags and braved the soaring mercury levels to welcome back their biking heroes. At the same time, they hit upon innovative measures to draw the attention of the general public to a problem so often glossed over – road safety, and the other we t a ke fo r g r ant ed, na t i onal integration.

Some of the road users were soon surrounded by placards held high with a humble plea –give road safety a chance. ‘Don’t drink and drive’, Speed thrills but kills’, ‘Use helmets if you have brains’, screamed some of the placards. It was pleasing to see that no efforts are spared to spread the message loud and clear to those who care to see or listen.

The same message also received the endorsement of the top brass of the police force and they gladly accorded the students the permission to form a human chain along the busy road.

The participation of Inspector General of Police (Railways), Shri KSN Chikkerur, IPS and the goodwill messages from the Commissioner of Police Bangalore, Shri Shankar Bidari, IPS and Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic and Security) Shri Praveen Sood, IPS surely boasted the spirits of the participants. Speaking a day earlier to Deccan Herald, a leading
English Daily, the traffic police boss had expressed his anguish at rising fatalities as a result of callous driving on the roads lending his voice to the cause.

Of particular interest was the grand reception put in place for the two bikers. A trifle fatigued from the long and arduous trail across the country’s most treacherous terrains and braving inclement weather, they showed the indomitable spirit of youth drumming up passion for road
safety and national integration in their address to the gathered members of the fourth estate. They surely did their bit as they also unraveled ‘Incredible India’.

Aside, the venture served as the launch pad for the ‘GCC Year of Road Safety’ and the release of GCC World, July –September Issue.

In the midst of all these activities, a couple of thoughts struck me. Did you know for instance that wearing motorcycle helmets can reduce risk of fatalities and the severity of injuries by about 72% and decreases the likelihood of death by up to 39% with the probability depending on the speed of the motorcycle involved.

A report on, Evaluation of Motorcycle Helmet Law Repeal in Arkansas and Texas by the US
Department of Transportation in June 2000, examined what happened when these States
weakened motorcycle helmet use laws to cover only a segment of the riding population. The study reports declines in observed helmet use in both States, increases in injuries and fatalities resulting from motorcycle crashes, and increases in costs to treat traumatic brain injury cases resulting from motorcycle crashes.Just a couple of days before the bikers returned, a young man met with a fatal accident on the old Madras road, his head having come under the wheels of a vehicle. But the most telling aspect of the accident was the fact that his helmet was nestled around his arm. Wouldn’t it have been a different scenario had he worn it on his head? Your guess is as good as mine.

Surely we cannot stand mute spectators to the dangers posed on our roads. The rising populations, the crowded roads, the callousness among other things have conspired to reduce the (Incomplete)

The campaign and a series of others planned, therefore serves to make a significant statement. Let us preserve what we have, our human resources.