"I remember perfectly how it was and the strong pain I felt. I overtook a vehicle about to reach a corner and from the other direction came another that could not stop and took me ahead. I went to stop for another car that was parked. I remember everything, I could see my body split in two and at that moment I still felt it, but now I do not ", is the heartrending testimony of M.V.T., a young man who is now 22 years old.
The reason why he remembers everything with great detail and for which he did not lose his life is that he wore the protective helmet, as he admits it. "That saved my life. And because of that, I tell everyone to wear the helmet, I know that sometimes it bothers because it's hot or things like that, but that can make a difference. Do not take, do not drive at an exaggerated speed. "he adds.
He is one of the 62,000 injured (2017) in traffic accidents and left with serious sequels (about 300 annually), since he cannot move lower limbs and perhaps he will not be able to do it anymore. According to data, the majority are young people who are disabled in full productive age.
There are 1,200 deaths per year in traffic accidents at the country level. Of them, 50% are motorcyclists. Up to 13,000 injured in motorcycles annually arrive at the Trauma Hospital, of which at least 2,000 have traumatic brain injuries. "Those who do not have the luck to die, are left with the consequences. That is, a person who is in a bed cannot move, is full of bedsores and dies infected at six months because in their homes they do not have the infrastructure to take care of patients with these characteristics, " said of the healthcare center, Dr. Hannibal in this regard. Between 80 and 100 patients are those who remain in these conditions every year after leaving discharge.
A new study, disclosed these days by the Touring and Automobile Club, realizes that this reality is not just national, but also regionally. The analysis that was conducted, in addition to Paraguay, in Argentina, Bolivia, Uruguay and Colombia, reveals that more than 30% of motorcyclists in those countries do not use the helmet correctly.
"This means that they carry it by the elbow, as a visor, loose, hit or held back. The majority takes it by the arm ", says Wilfred, head of Education and Road Safety of the Touring, regarding the Paraguayan motorcyclists, since our country is the one that has the highest index of helmet misuse among the six countries that they were taken as a reference, with 34.5%. In the case of Paraguay, 3,800 motorcyclists were analyzed.
"Another high index in relation to the other countries is the non-use of reflective clothing. The legislation requires the motorcyclist to wear the reflective vest on national and international routes. "he recalls, referring to Law No. 5016" National Traffic and Road Safety ".
DRIVING SCHOOL FOR MOTORCYCLISTS?
A fact that Jimenez highlights is that Paraguay has the peculiarity that 100% of motorcyclists drive empirically, "because there is not a single school of motorcycle driving in our country that is enabled. People learn to drive on their own, through friends, parents or watching. There is no school registered or qualified for the teaching of responsible motorcycle driving. "he says.
In the Paraguayan case, there is only a kind of "familiarization" that the companies that sell the motorcycle do. "In the framework of their social responsibility program, they train those who buy the motorcycle, which is more familiar than a driving school", he says.
As he points out, the study showed that the most frequent infractions committed by Paraguayan motorcyclists are the traffic between lanes. "Motorcycles are one more vehicle, therefore motorcyclists must go inside the lanes, and not a zigzag way," he explains. Other frequent faults are the overtaking of the right and the circulation by sidewalks.
WHAT THE CURRENT LAW SAYS
The law with current validity and that regulates this type of infractions is 5016/14 and speaks about motorcycles in the following articles:
Article 75.- Circulation along the sidewalks. The circulation of mopeds, motorcycles, tricycles, quadricycles and motorbikes on the sidewalks and public walks destined exclusively for pedestrians is prohibited.
Article 76.- Mandatory use of a helmet and reflective vest. The occupants of mopeds, motorcycles, tricycles, quadricycles and forklifts, must wear the standard and standard helmet that covers the entire head, with the exception of the face. The helmet must have reflective material and the registration number of the motorcycle engraved on the lower external part. In addition, it must be properly secured by the retaining strap or fastened chinstrap.
According to data provided by the Highway Patrol, in the case of the fines themselves, driving without a helmet means a fine of G. 893,772 and the same amount is for those who do not use the reflective vest.
For passing the maximum speed limit, there are three levels of fines: between 11 to 20km / h: G. 325.008; between 21 to 30km / h: G. 568,764; and between 31km / h and more G. 812,520.
Circular through the trails is subject to a fine of G. 406.260, considering that these spaces are exclusively for the movement of pedestrians.
The overtaking on the right is fine with G. 812.520 and the circulation between lanes is sanctioned with G. 325.008.
TO CHANGE THIS REALITY...
For Jimenez, there are still a lot of commitment from the authorities to make drivers aware.
As the main point to take into account indicates "the issuance of the license is made with very shallow requirements, only with a theoretical examination, being that the law requires to make an examination to determine the fitness of the driver, which includes a theoretical test, a practical test and a psychophysics test. It should also be considered that the license must be granted according to the displacements and our law does not contemplate that. "
He recalled that before the high death figures in recent years, in addition to the large number of injured and left with serious sequels, the only alternative is to continue insisting on the need to use the helmet, and above all the respect of the speeds maximum. "In urban areas it should be 40 to 50km / h (as established by the municipal authority) and in rural areas it is 110km / h," he stresses.
"The helmet is the main protective element for motorcyclists; however, 3 out of 10 motorcycle riders in the region use it incorrectly. This should urge us to reinforce prevention and awareness campaigns to seek to reduce road death rates. "recommends Pablo, Head of Road Safety and the Environment of the International Automobile Federation (FIA).
