Introduction
Majority of the residents of Wisconsin enjoy travelling on the scenic roads as well as highways of the county. Unfortunately, during the motorcycle scenic travels, the riders and their passengers may be involved in accidents. Motorcycle accidents have been devastating, and such accidents have been extremely experienced in Wisconsin, USA. During the accidents, the people involved may suffer injuries that are due to the failure to have safety measures in place. External protection can be of a great save against injuries caused by motorcycle accidents. One external protection measure that has been attributed to preventing people from injuries is the use of motorcycle helmets. In Wisconsin, the year 2010 observed 72 motorists who were not putting on Helmets perish in motor cycle accidents as compared to only 23 of those who had their helmets worn. According to the Wisconsin report on accidents facts and figure, deaths as a result of not wearing helmets constituted 73 percent of the motorcycle accidents that occurred in that year. This paper assess the use of helmets in relation to the accidents as well as how they could minimize deaths and injuries, hence, identify a plan that could be used as an intervention for the problem.
How was the problem identified?
The use of motor cycle helmets has consistently indicated to be the best strategy for minimizing motor cycle accident deaths and injuries. Statistical from the department of Transportation in Wisconsin have shown that the enactment of partial helmet law has significantly reduced deaths and injuries from motorcycle accidents. Reports from the department of transportation in Wisconsin indicate that, for instance in the year 2011, 66 motor cycle riders and 6 passengers without helmets were killed as well as 1122 motor cycle riders and 182 passengers without helmets injured. This was a great difference from those who put on helmets that same year; 22 motor cycle riders and 1 passengers with helmets were killed as well as 752 motor cycle riders and 72 passengers with helmets injured. The victims of the motorcycle accidents also complain of eye, brain as well as facial injuries. Most people who report the accidents when they were asked to fill in questionnaires concerning the cause of the deaths or injuries they in most cases reported the non use of helmets as a reason for the outcome of motor cycle accidents, which could be reduced with the use of helmets. These deaths and injuries caused by the non use of helmets give worrying information, hence a major health issue in Wisconsin
Why the problem is a priority?
Accident statistics from the Department of Transportation in Wisconsin have shown that some deaths and accidents could be avoided if there was effective use of motor cycle helmets while travelling. The facts and figures of the deaths and injuries a result of travelling motor cycles are high and hence alarming for the need to prioritize the problem . According to Naumann; “on average, 12% of fatally injured motorcyclists were not wearing helmets in states with universal helmet laws, compared with 64% in partial helmet law states (laws that only required specific groups, usually young riders, to wear helmets) and 79% in states without a helmet law” (2010). Wisconsin's Motorcycle Helmet Law only states riders and passengers below the age of 18 as the only groups who must wear helmets while travelling. The partial motor cycle helmet law does not fully protect all the users of motor cycle and this is the reason for increased related deaths and injuries. Additionally, motor cycle riders and passengers who use helmets have less often experienced eye problems as the helmets protect them against dangerous eye risks when travelling. Those who have in who have been involved in accidents with the helmets put on have rarely complained of brain and facial injuries as compared to those without.
The number of motor cycle accidents is continuously being experienced on the rise in Wisconsin, and this therefore raises a health alarm to the community hence the need for intervention. External protection can be of a great save against injuries caused by motorcycle accidents. One of the ways of external protection measures include the helemets, which has been attributed to preventing people from injuries is the use of motorcycle helmets. The problem should be given a priority to minimize related deaths as well as injuries from the accidents. On top of enact helmet law; the government should consider the provision of free helmets for all the road and highway motorcycle users in the area. This could reduce eye problems on top of protecting against deaths and accidents.
Community Nursing Diagnosis
The use of motor cycle helmets is known to help protect against the impact of accidents caused by riding motor cycles. In Wisconsin majority of the people, enjoy travelling on the scenic roads as well as highways of the county. Unfortunately, during the motorcycle scenic travels, the riders and their passengers may be involved in accidents. The outcome of these accidents is either deaths or severe injuries. The number of deaths and injuries would be reduced of the use of helmets was effectively and regularly used. The county government has successfully implemented the helmet law that covers only motor cycle riders and passengers under the age of 18, putting those above 18 years in a risk of death and injuries that could damage their eyes, brain and face without the helmets. In addition, even before an accident can take place, the riders and passengers need to be covered on their faces for eyes protection. The helmet law should be amended so that all the people are required to wear helmets irrespective of their age.
There is still much yet to be done to address the use of motor cycle helmets during the scenic travel in Wisconsin. This way the community in the area would be protected against having their health on a risk whenever they ride on the motor cycles. They could be protected against eye complications as well as the brain and face damage when the accidents occur as these are extremely crucial parts of the human body They could be protected against eye complications as well as the brain and face damage when the accidents occur as these are extremely crucial parts of the human body. Those who have in who have been involved in accidents with the helmets put on have rarely complained of brain and facial injuries as compared to those without. The community population that travels on motor cycles should be provided with helmets. It will save the community of health problems as a result of the use of motorcycles, and even reduce the health cost that they have to pay for treatment.
References
Denena, T. (2013). Madison WI Community Leaders Die in Motorcycle Crash near Amarillo TX. Denena Points.
Naumann, R. B. (2010). Helmet Use Among Motorcyclists Who Died in Crashes and Economic Cost Savings Associated With State Motorcycle Helmet Laws — United States, 2008–2010. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Wisconsin Department of Transportation (2011). Crash facts - WisDOT. Retrieved from http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/safety/motorist/crashfacts/index.htm
