§ 35. Mr. Sorensenasked the Minister of Transport, what statistical or other information he has about the efficacy of crash helmets in minimising serious accidents to motor-bicycle riders; and if he will introduce legislation to ensure that all crash helmets conform to a requisite standard.
§ Mr. HayA study by the Road Research Laboratory revealed that the wearing of a crash helmet reduced by 30 to 40 per cent. the chances of injury to that part of the head covered by the helmet. Under the Road Traffic Acts it is already an offence to offer for sale or hire a helmet that does not conform to the standard drawn up by the British Standards Institution.
§ Mr. SorensenDoes the hon. Gentleman intend to bring in regulations to enforce the wearing of these helmets, seeing that they have been so valuable in saving injury and possibly life?
§ Mr. HayNo, we do not think it is necessary to make this compulsory at this stage. We know that well over 60 per cent. of all male riders of motor cycles and as many as 76 per cent. of female riders wear helmets at the moment. This practice has been generally accepted, and I think we can carry on as we are for the time being.
§ Mr. KershawWill my hon. Friend look again into this? Is it not a fact that crashes on motor cycles are one of the major causes of death of persons between the ages of 17 and 25? Why are we being so nice about this? Why cannot we get on with it?
§ Mr. HayIt is not a question of being nice about it. The position is that we have made a British Standard. We have made it an offence to offer for sale or hire a helmet which does not comply with the British Standard. The majority of motor cyclists, for their own protection, already wear these helmets. It would be extremely difficult to enforce the wearing of these helmets—[HON. MEMBERS: "Why?"]—by all motor 1313 cyclists under all conditions at all times, and for these reasons we do not think it is worth introducing compulsion.
§ Mr. StraussDoes not the hon. Gentleman remember that on this matter there was quite a division of opinion when the issue was before the Committee on the Road Traffic Bill? Some hon. Members, on both sides of the Committee, thought it desirable to make compulsory regulations and others, on both sides, thought not. What is quite obvious is the desirability of stepping up the propaganda in order to try to induce more and more people to wear these helmets. Will the hon. Gentleman ask the road safety organisations who are conducting the summer campaign to emphasise this matter more than anything else during that campaign?
§ Mr. HayYes, I am grateful to the right hon. Gentleman for drawing attention to the summer campaign. I understand that during one month of the campaign attention will be directed to motor cyclists, and I will certainly see that the point is well stressed.
§ Mr. SorensenI wish to give notice that owing to the unsatisfactory nature of the reply, I shall raise the matter at the earliest opportunity on the Adjournment.