Content

S Unit Minimum time Maximum time Page

No (min) (max) number

1 Small talk – Body Language, 7 10 2

Manners/Etiquette

Fun games like In my kitchen

2 GTKY 7 10 2

3 Statistics 5 7 2

4 Case Study 3 5 3

5 Debate 45 60 4

6 Head injuries & How a helmet works? 5 7 7

7 Legal 3 5 8

8 Fillers (e.g.: back to the board, a truth 5 7 9

and lie, make a story)

9 Helmet use 3 5 9

10 Demonstration of a bad and good 7 10 10

helmet

11 Penalty for not wearing a helmet 5 7 10

12 Helmet safety for kids 5 7 11

Total 100 138

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 HELMET SAFETY -- CURRICULUM CONTENT

1. Small Talk (7 mins)

Plausible topics -Manners/Etiquette (road manners, eg. Give way to people, drive in your
lane, give ambulance way, don’t honk unnecessarily etc.)

Build a story
 Trainer starts by saying if I have Rs. 1 crore, I will buy a house. Trainer asks the next
participant, what will he/she do in the house and the conversation carries on to build a
story…)

2. Get to know you (GTKY) (7 mins)

Introduction about TOI and Suzuki. Introduction of participants with the trainer and vice
versa. Introduce using a game - adjective game

What is a Helmet? (trainer explains it to participants)

A helmet is a form of protective gear worn to protect the head. More specifically, a
helmet complements the skull in protecting the human brain. The word helmet is derived
from helm, an Old English word for a protective head covering.

Helmets create an additional layer for the head and thus protect the wearer from some
of the more severe forms of traumatic brain injury. A helmet aims to reduce the risk of
serious head and brain injuries by reducing the impact of a force or collision to the head.

3. Statistics: (5 mins)

 Over 1,37,000 people were killed in road accidents in 2013 alone, that is more than
the number of people killed in all our wars put together.

 5 lives end on Delhi’s roads every day.

 There is one death every four minutes due to a road accident in India. After we
complete this session, 30 people would have lost their lives. 377 people die every day,
equivalent to a jumbo jet crashing every day.

 Two wheelers account for 25% of total road crash deaths.

 20 children under the age of 14 die every day due to road crashes in the country.
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  In India, there was an annual record of about 72,000 women injured or killed from
motorbike accidents in the 1980s. As a result, imminent safety laws were brought on
paper to curb deaths and injury from motorized two-wheelers

 Top 10 Cities with the highest number of Road Crash Deaths (Rank –Wise): Delhi
takes the first place:

a. Delhi

b. Chennai

c. Jaipur

d. Bengaluru

e. Mumbai

f. Kanpur

g. Lucknow

h. Agra

i. Hyderabad

j. Pune

4. Case study: (3 mins)

 Trainer can tell the below story in their own words as lead-in and then take experience
from audience.

Noor Sir’s story:

One beautiful evening, the weather was very good. I was riding my bike and I was enjoying
the weather.

The cemented electricity pole installation work going on. It was around 11 o'clock at night
the road was totally vacant. The workers they were pulling the electricity pole with the help
of a tractor. So, they were actually dragging the pole from the one place to another.

As the weather was very beautiful I was enjoying the ride. The workers signalled me, I did
not listen to their signal. Ultimately, I collided with the cemented electrical pole and fell on
the ground. To my luck I was wearing good quality helmet, I got bruises on my right
shoulder, ankle, arm and knee. But I didn't get any serious head injury although my head
banged on the road directly. The Helmet saved me.

While writing this, now I think what could have happened if I would not have helmet on my
head? Maybe, a serious head injury and it could have been fatal too. 3
5. Debate (45mins)
Topics :

1. If the government takes away the law of wearing the helmet. What will be pros and cons?

or

2. What are the advantages and myths of wearing a helmet?

Participants will be divided into 2 teams:

Team A would talk about advantages of wearing a helmet.
Team B would talk about myths of wearing a helmet.
 Trainer will give both the teams some advantages and some myths regarding the above
topic and give them time to prepare for the debate.
 Debate starts…
 After the debate ends, trainer discusses the below points with the participants.

Topic 1: Pros and cons of government taking away the law of wearing helmet

Pros

 People don't have to spend money to buy helmet.

 People will get rid of sweating inside the helmet.

 People can have fancy hairstyles.

 There will be no fine for not wearing helmet.

Cons

 There will be a sudden rise in accidental deaths due to head injury which will include
men women and children.
 People will behave more carelessly on the road specially while riding a bike.

Topic 2: Advantages and Myths of Wearing Helmet

Wearing a helmet is always a debatable topic as some people are in favor while some people
oppose it and that is the reason why one should look at some of the advantages of wearing a
helmet –
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  Advantages of Wearing Helmet or Facts about wearing Helmet:

1. Life Saving : The first and foremost advantage of wearing a helmet is that it is a life-
saving thing because when accidents happen than the majority of deaths occur due to
injury to the brain and it is the helmet that saves an individual from injury to head. In
simple words just like shock absorber absorbs shocks in the same way helmet absorbs
the major impact of the accident and saves an individual from a major injury.

2. No Penalties: Governments all over the world are strict when it comes to road safety
and that is the reason why there are strict penalties for not adhering to traffic rules and
wearng a helmet is one of the traffic rules. Hence when you wear a helmet you are
saved from all the penalties because if you do not wear a helmet there will be always
that doubt in the back of the mind that traffic police will catch you and impose fine or
penalty.

3. Safety from Weather: Another advantage of wearing a helmet is that in case of rains if
one is wearing a helmet than there is not much of a problem in driving as compared to
people who are not wearing the helmet, in the same way, due to helmet dust does not go
into eyes and so on. In simple words helmet in a way saves an individual from tough
weather conditions and hence indirectly it provides safety from adverse weather
conditions.

 Myths about wearing Helmet:

1. Inconvenience: The biggest disadvantage of wearing a helmet is that it causes
inconvenience because if you have to drive a two-wheeler for 5 or 10 minutes wearing
helmet than it is not much of issue but if you have to drive a two-wheeler for 1 or 2 hours
than it is very inconvenient as no matter how lightweight the helmet is still it causes
problems if you have to wear it for long period of time.

2. Hair Related Problem: When one wears helmet there is constant sweating and in
summers it becomes more severe which can be bad for hairs as too much sweating can
cause hair loss as well other problems related to hairs and that is the reason why many
people refrain from wearing helmets because if precaution is not taken it can accelerate
the problem of hair fall.

3. Practical Problems: If you are going for a movie or some party or shopping mall wearing
helmet than there are some practical problems like where to put the helmet on reaching
the destination as not all places have helmet stand and one cannot go to such place taking
helmet in hands which is the reason why people do not like to wear helmet when they are
going to such places.

4. Helmets Reduce Your Vision

5. Helmets Prevent You from Hearing Traffic Sound
6. Helmets Overheat your Head
7. You don’t Need a Helmet When Driving Across the City
8. Riders with Helmets meet with accidents more frequently.
9. Its ok to use someone else’s helmet.
10. ALL MOTORCYCLE HELMET VISORS FOG WHEN IT RAINS  
11. YOU DON’T NEED TO CLOSE THE STRAP 
12. LOOSE FITTING HELMETS ARE MORE COMFORTABLE  
13. MODULAR HELMETS ARE NOT AS SAFE AS FULL-FACE HELMETS  
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14. WOMEN/PILLION RIDERS DON’T NEED SEPARATE HELMETS  
15. CHILDREN HELMETS ARE JUST FOR FASHION  
16. Your Helmet Is Useless at High Speeds
17. Helmet Design Increases the Risk of Spine Injury
18. You Drive Less Carefully with a Helmet
19. You Can’t Hear Traffic Noise in a Helmet
20. Prolonged used of helmet causes neck injury.

 Add on information the trainer can mention after the debate

 Facts about wearing Helmet:

 Fact 1: Head injuries are the leading factor of deaths in

motorcycle accidents.
 Fact 2: Helmets are 30% more effective in preventing fatalities or
head injuries.
 Fact 3: Rider who is not wearing a helmet is 40% more likely to
be killed, in an unfortunate accident.
 Fact 4: A motorcyclist is 32 times more likely to be killed than
the car driver.
 Fact 5: After an accident average hospital costs will be 3-4 times
higher, if you weren’t wearing a helmet.
 Fact 6: Make sure your bike helmet fits you well.

The United Nations motorcycle helmet study:

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6. Head injuries & How a helmet works? (3 mins)
 Trainer discusses and elicit the below points from participants.
 Head injuries are a leading cause of death and disability.

Injuries to the head and neck are the main cause of death, severe injury and disability among
users of motorcycles and bicycles. Head injuries contribute to around 75% of deaths among
motorized two-wheeler users; in India head injuries are estimated to account for up to 88% of
such fatalities. Head injuries could be mild and severe leading to the below problems:

 Raised, swollen area from a bump or a bruise

 Small, shallow cut in the scalp

 Headache

 Sensitivity to noise and light

 Irritability or abnormal behavior

 Confusion

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 Lightheartedness or dizziness

 Problems with balance

 Nausea

 Problems with memory or concentration

 Change in sleep patterns

 Blurred or double vision

 Eyes that look tired

 Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)

 Changes in taste

Symptoms of moderate to severe head injury may include any of the above plus:

 Tiredness or trouble staying awake

 Loss of consciousness

 Severe headache that does not go away

 Repeated nausea and vomiting

 Loss of short-term memory

 Slurred speech

 Trouble walking

 Weakness in one side or area of the body

 Sweating

 Pale color of skin

 Seizures or convulsions

 Blood or clear fluid draining from ears or nose

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 Pupil looks larger in one eye

 Deep cut in the scalp

 Loss of consciousness and can’t be awakened (coma)

 Loss of thinking and awareness of surroundings (vegetative state)

 Locked-in syndrome, a condition where a person is conscious and can think but can’t
speak or move

How a helmet works?

A helmet aims to reduce the risk of serious head and brain injuries by reducing the impact of
a force or collision to the head. A helmet works in three ways: It reduces the deceleration of
the skull, and hence the brain movement, by managing the impact. The soft material
incorporated in the helmet absorbs some of the impact and therefore the head comes to a halt
more slowly. This means that the brain does not hit the skull with such great force. It spreads
the forces of the impact over a greater surface area so that they are not concentrated on
particular areas of the skull. It prevents direct contact between the skull and the impacting
object by acting as a mechanical barrier between the head and the object.

7. Legal pointers to keep in mind before buying a helmet (3 mins)

 Trainer can ask participants if they know about any legal rules and regulations when
they are buying a helmet. If all facts don’t come out, then trainer tells about the below
pointers.

 Buy a helmet for the driver as well as the pillion riders to ensure the safety of all the
people riding on the bike.
 The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) also made it clear that the sale of Helmets
without the ISI mark will be stopped and the use of such helmets will be treated as an
offense
 In a bid to increase the safety and curb the production of sub-standard helmets, a new
standard announcement was made by The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). The BIS

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 stated that all produced helmets must not exceed a maximum weight of 1.2kg as
opposed to the previously accepted 1.5kg.
 All sold helmets must have gone through and passed all test issued by BIS.
a. Some of these tests include the impact absorption test which tests specific impact
points on a helmet with impact materials at a specific velocity.
b. It also includes an impact test under different climatic conditions including humidity
and temperature.

8. Filler: (5 mins)
 Trainer can decide the filler from the following

 Back to the board

 Trainer will have words written on a placard. Two teams will be made, each will choose
a representative who will not be able to see the word. His team members will have to
enact the word. The team which gets the word first wins!
E.g.: 1. Traffic Rules
2. Head Injury
3. Traffic Congestion
4. Drink and Driving
5. Road Accidents
6. Traffic Signs
7. Road Barriers
8. Road Surface Marking
9. Headgear
10. Hard Hat
11. Safety Standards
12. Speed Limit
13. Traffic Signal
14. Rash driving
15. Brain Damage

9. Helmet use: Important pointers (3

mins)
 Trainer explains below to the participants.
 Always buy a full-faced helmet as it covers your entire face and provides overall safety.
 Helmets also have an expiry date. Thus, you should get a new helmet every 3-5 years.
 Clean the glass of your helmet on regular basis to ensure a clear vision while driving
your bike.
 Replace your helmet immediately after it has been damaged in a collision.
 Always wear your helmet the right way so it will protect you: Make sure it covers your
forehead and don't let it tip back. Always fasten the straps.
 Don't wear a hat under your helmet.
 Take care of your helmet and don't throw it around. If it's damaged, it won't protect you
as well when you need it.
 Get a new helmet if you fall while you're on your bike and hit your head.
 Put reflective stickers on your helmet so drivers can see you better.

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10. Demo - good helmet and bad helmet (7 mins)
 Trainer should do the demo and get answers from Participant on which is
the appropriate helmet.

11. The Penalty for not wearing a helmet (5 mins)

 Trainer has to lay emphasis on the importance of these penalties.

 According to Section 177 of the M.V Act, any rider who has been found guilty of not
using a helmet would be punished by a fine of Rs. 100 for a first time and Rs. 300 for
subsequent offenses.
 According to Section 129A, the safety helmet must be shaped and constructed with
materials that have the ability to protect the rider from injuries in case of an accident.
 Section 129B explains that the helmet must be fastened to the head of the rider before
it can be considered as been put on. It can be fastened to the rider or driver with aid of
straps or any other appropriate fasteners. This is to prevent the falling off of a helmet
in case of an accident.

 In 2019, the government of India introduced yet another amendment to the Motor
Vehicle Act to include minors. The safety law states that it is mandatory for all
children above 4 years of age to be provided with a helmet while riding on any two-
wheeled vehicle. Failure to adhere to this law attracts a fine of Rs 1,000, however, it
exempts Sikhs who wear a turban.

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12. Helmet safety for kids (5 mins)
 Trainer will reiterate the law of wearing helmet for kids and also tell about the
injuries/impact of an accident on kids is more on kids than on adults!

To make the protective headgear mandatory for children, Section 129 of the principal Act has
been replaced in the Act as “Every person, above four years of age, driving or riding or being
carried on a motorcycle of any class or description shall, while in public place wear
protective headgear conforming to such standards as may be prescribed by the Central
government”.
Exemption
Only Sikhs wearing turban have been exempted from the provision of Section 129 that makes
helmets mandatory for all riders of motorcycles above four years of age.
The Act says the Central government may by rules provide for measures for the safety of the
children below four years of age riding or being carried on a motorcycle.
With this amendment, children from the Kindergarten classes will have to wear the protective
headgear if they have to travel on motorcycles.
“Pillion riders, including children, are more prone to the injuries than the rider of the
motorcycle in case the vehicle collides. Helmets of prescribed standards fastened to the head
by straps or other fastenings can avoid head injuries,” Mr. Elangovan told The Hindu.
Pooja Ma’am’s thoughts(trainer can say in whichever way they want)
It's good if a kid gets used to wearing a helmet from a young age. A helmet can be a lifesaver
for a child, children have a much more delicate skull than that of an adult, their bones are still
developing and the skull is not as hard as an adult. A lot of children who hurt their heads in
an accident can have a blood clot, which can hinder their growth mentally. A severe brain
injury can lead to disability in speech, vision, hearing. Problem with memory or
concentration, some children can also lose their Eye sight and in the long term a child may
need to get a lifelong medical treatment.
The point is or a question we should ask ourselves -is it fair for a child to go through all this
with no fault of theirs? As an adult it should be our duty to make sure our children, younger
brothers or sisters wear a helmet when they sit on a 2-wheeler. Let’s make sure the size of the
helmet is their head size, using a father’s mothers or elder sibling’s helmet will not protect
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them from a fatal accident which could also take their life or let them live for the rest of their
lives half dead!

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