We wear a helmet
when riding a motorcycle. But would you be equally cheerful if it was
compulsory to wear an airbag vest?
Mandatory vests
are trying to push through the Directorate General for Road Traffic in Spain.
The initiative is also supported by Asociación Nacional de Empresas del Sector
de Dos Ruedas (Anesdor), an association of companies operating in the
two-wheeled automotive sector, and even the personal support of Pere Navarro,
president of Dorna, the company responsible for the preparation of the World
Motorcycle Championship. In short, the matter is serious.
The campaign has
also been going on for weeks, accompanied by the hashtag #PonteUnAirbag. The
campaign aims to raise the awareness of motorcycle and moped users about the
benefits of wearing a vest or an airbag jacket.
What arguments do
the vest advocates use? Anesdor's Secretary-General José María Riaño stressed
the "great importance" of the airbag for motorcyclists "which
has great potential to reduce injuries in the event of an accident".
Also, studies by
Real Automóvil Club de España (RACE) have been published, which confirm the effectiveness,
in a crash test, of three different types of airbags for motorcyclists. In all
three cases, the airbag was deployed before the dummy hit the vehicle (in less
than 120 milliseconds).
But it is one
thing to consciously, freely choose a vest, and another order and regulation,
the non-observance of which will result in punishing motorcyclists by law
enforcement agencies. In opposition to the narrative of pillow supporters,
Asociación Mutua Motera (AMM) - a Spanish organization of motorcyclists, surveyed
to investigate the mood of two-wheelers about vests.
It turned out that
only slightly more than 29% of respondents considered that vests with pillows
should be mandatory. As many as 65% of respondents opted for a free choice and
do not want any compulsion to wear special clothing. Just over 2.5 thousand
people participated in the study. motorcyclists.
Why is the
campaign and debate about airbags in Spain important to us? Because the
solution that will eventually be adopted by the local authorities may result in
similar ideas in other EU countries. And yet we know very well how much the
government loves regulations, orders, and bans, especially if it can generously
impose new penalties on them in the fines of mandates.
Or maybe life and
health are more important than our whim? Are you willing to accept the
obligation to use airbag jackets and safety vests
or not? Just a reasonable argument, please.
