BENGALURU: While it is essential to wear a mask in these times of the Covid pandemic, many two-wheeler riders prefer to wear masks but not helmets while riding their bikes, resulting in a maximum number of head injuries.
Overspeeding and alcohol consumption remain the two main reasons for road accidents resulting in minor and severe head injuries. The National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), however, has observed that the patients were wearing masks, but not helmets at the time of the accident.
Dr Dhaval Shukla, professor of the Department of Neurosurgery, NIMHANS, said, “Two-wheeler riders can wear a full-face helmet, which also acts as a mask. Though we have not done a proper study on the number of such patients, we have seen many without a helmet, but with a mask ending up with head injuries. One should understand that accidents can be prevented.”
The common reason given by bikers is that they cannot wear the helmet and mask together as it is suffocating, while others said that they are fined for not wearing a mask and not the helmet.
At Aster RV Hospital, 184 cases of head injury were reported between January and September 2021.
Dr Mohammed Imran Soherwardi, Consultant – Emergency Medicine, Aster RV Hospital, said that they have seen a slight increase in cases after the second lockdown was lifted. “Increased number of head injuries could be due to fogging of spectacles or helmets of riders while wearing the mask.”
Meanwhile, Dr Shukla pointed during the initial phases of the pandemic when the lockdown was announced the trauma centre at NIIMHANS saw only 5-6 cases of head injury per day, however, once it was lifted over 25 plus cases were reported. On the day the government lifted curbs on alcohol over 69 head injuries were reported. "Nearly 70% are mild while 20-40% are moderate to severe where they land in a coma," added Dr Shukla.
While at Manipal Hospital Old Airport Road over 1505 trauma cases were reported from October 2020 till date. 1 60% increase was seen in traffic accidents in two-wheelers and some on four-wheelers. "By enlarging it is motor vehicle accidents. the Trauma cases have now increased due to the increase in traffic and movement of people. Bikers are not seen wearing helmets and traffic lights are not wearing in many places which allows overspeeding. The 20-25 age group are usually seen with trauma cases. The accident is an incident which can be avoided easily, once people are careful on the roads."