oa Helmet safety for Indonesian children

Global road traffic accidents (RTAs) account for around 1.2 million fatalities annually and alarmingly, 30-40% of these fatalities are children [24]. Even in the UK, 60% of child deaths are from RTAs. In Asia, up to one third of these deaths are due to two-wheelers [24]. Helmets can help reduce fatalities by 25% but studies show compliance as low as 20% in Indonesia. Aims and objectives of the study were to find out why people don’t wear helmets and how to prevent head injuries in Indonesia by assessing the knowledge and attitudes of the public. Observations and interviews were carried out in Jakarta after thorough ethical consideration by the University of Leeds and the Indonesian Ministry of Health. Three observational sittings at the same location recorded characteristics of helmet use with simple analysis. Interviews featured structured questions on the knowledge and attitudes of helmet safety of students and the public. Results were then coded thematically. Observations showed low helmet use for females and children compared to adult males. Many non-wearers were also passengers. Interview results showed poor awareness of the regulations and compliance amongst the public, especially with young males, women, children, and at night. Barriers to compliance of children discussed included the overlying culture amongst Indonesians passed down by parents, the lack of enforcement by parents and police, and peer pressure. Unavailability of correctly fitting helmets for children also affected usage and police stated they were unsure and inconsistent about enforcement on children. Findings on the cultural barriers were consistent with previous studies and emphasise the importance of injury prevention to reduce global child mortality. Recommendations discovered involved media campaigns to target children using influential members. To improve the reliability, further research should be carried out in other Asian countries targeting children directly.