Madras, Nov 9: Renowned British neurosurgeon Mr. Lawrence Walsh has a strong message for motorcyclists, scooter riders, and motorists in India – wear your crash helmets and seat belts! Mr. Walsh, Consultant Neurosurgeon at the National Hospital for Nervous Diseases and St. George’s Hospital in London, talked to The Hindu about road safety and health breakthroughs. He said, "Crash helmets definitely improve the chances of recovery in case of head injuries." Although some people worry that seat belts might hurt the neck, Mr. Walsh believes, "on balance, they would have saved a lot of lives." Surprisingly, he noticed that in India, wearing crash helmets is not very common among motorcyclists and scooter riders. But in the United Kingdom, the law makes it compulsory to wear helmets on two-wheelers. For car seat belts, the law says every car must have them, though using them is not mandatory. When asked about making helmets and seat belts compulsory by law in India, Mr. Walsh said it’s better if people first accept these safety devices. "Only if they were accepted by a majority could a law be passed; otherwise, it would become difficult to enforce it," he explained. Mr. Walsh is visiting Madras to join the Silver Jubilee scientific congress of the Institute of Neurology. He also shared exciting news about a major breakthrough called “EMI Scanning.” This brain scan, using X-rays, helps doctors see inside the brain without surgery or injections. Since 1972, EMI scanning has been very useful in diagnosing tumors and many brain problems. So, Indian riders, what are you waiting for? Put on that helmet and click your seat belt to stay safe and sound!