Sat Mar 29 10:23:40 UTC 2025: ## Helmet Use Reduces Head Injuries in Chennai, But More Needs to be Done

**Chennai, March 29, 2025** – Neurosurgeons in Chennai are reporting a significant decrease in the number and severity of head injuries treated since stricter enforcement of helmet laws for both riders and pillion riders on two-wheelers. However, experts warn that while compliance has improved, further action is needed to address the ongoing problem of drunk driving and the use of substandard helmets.

Data from Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital shows a reduction in daily brain injury cases from 12-14 to 5-6. Private hospitals like Apollo and Sri Ramachandra Medical Centre have also seen a 50-60% drop in head injuries, though the overall number of trauma cases remains largely unchanged, with an increase in spinal and long bone injuries. Doctors attribute this shift to more people sustaining injuries from falls or other incidents rather than motorcycle accidents.

Despite the positive trend, concerns remain. Doctors note a laxity in enforcement after nightfall, coinciding with a rise in drunk driving incidents. The use of substandard helmets, offering minimal protection, is also a significant problem.

Senior neurosurgeon Dr. K. Ganapathy advocates for stricter measures, including refusing petrol to riders without helmets, cancelling driving licenses, and even implementing a system similar to China’s, where unhelmeted accident survivors are mandated a week in a head injury ward. He emphasizes that while helmets may not prevent all head injuries, they significantly reduce the severity, transforming potentially irreversible damage into reversible injuries.

Dr. Ganapathy highlights the broader impact of road accidents, stating that for every fatality, 50-60 non-fatal accidents occur, with 20-30 individuals suffering lasting head injuries requiring years of recovery. He stresses the need for strict enforcement of Section 126 of the Motor Vehicle Act. The ongoing challenge, doctors agree, lies in combining improved helmet usage with a decisive crackdown on drunk driving to further reduce the burden of road traffic injuries.

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