A motorcycle is one of the most convenient, quickest modes of travel in traffic-snarled Bangkok, especially during rush hours, but safety must take priority when young children are involved.
In the event of an accident - whether with another bike, a car, truck or bus - the chances of the rider and passenger being injured or even killed are high, much more so than travelling by any other means of transport. The risk is much higher for young passengers, most of whom do not wear crash helmets. Maybe their parents cannot afford to buy them crash helmets, or they cannot find any to fit them. Or maybe they simply do not care about the safety of their children. Almost daily, while driving in the morning, I come across the sight of a father riding a motorcycle with one child sitting astride in front of him, his wife behind him holding a toddler, or another child squeezed between them, or even both. Five up on a step-through is not that uncommon. I wonder how can parents travel that way, apparently without any concern for the safety of their children? And I am often quick to blame them as being irresponsible parents, without given a second thought and wondering if they maybe have their own particular reason, or need, for doing it. Nevertheless, safety first should be the top priority. So when the Office of Consumer Protection comes up with a proposal to ban young passengers from riding on motorcycles, I wholeheartedly give my support to the proposal. OCP deputy secretary-general Weerachai Chomsakorn said the proposed ban would apply to children under the age of six. He explained it was in response to increasing number of motorcycle accidents which leave young children seriously injured or even dead. The proposal has sparked an uproar, both from parents and motorcyclists. Which is not so surprising. The common argument is that they cannot afford to buy a car and a motorcycle is the next best choice, and the best mode of transport in the city. Their argument is valid and I have no objection to it. I believe that if they could afford a car they would certainly buy one and use it to take their children to school. But safety should come first. Children should be given greater protection from road accidents and banning young passengers is the right way to address the problem. But why only children under six? This needs to be clarified. The proposed ban itself, if properly enforced, may help reduce the number of road accidents involving very young children. But what about older children whose parents still have to take them to school on their motorbike? The OCP should extend the ban to cover older children, perhaps up to the age of 10. But it also needs to work out an alternative means of transport for the children, so parents will know their children are in safe hands.