Nigerian Motorcyclists Wearing Scrap Tyres to Avoid Helmet Law

Nigerian motorcyclists have stumbled upon a novel new use for discarded tyres. These end of life rubber items join dried fruit shells, saucepans and paint pots as a handy substitute for those wishing to dodge a new law in Nigeria that makes the wearing of helmets compulsory. Tyre scraps, affixed to the skull with a piece of string, are proving popular with bikers who find helmets too expensive and with passengers who, to quote a Reuters news article, fear they “will catch skin disease (from the helmet) or be put under a black magic spell.”

“They use pots, plates, calabashes, rubber and plastic as makeshift helmets,” Yusuf Garba, commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission in the northern town of Kano told Reuters. “We will not tolerate this. We gave them enough time to purchase helmets. Six months ago the price of helmets was below 800 naira (£3.87) so complaints about non-availability and high prices are no excuse.”

The helmet law came into force on January 1, and helmet prices have reportedly risen sharply in tandem with the rising demand.