Tags: Accidents and Tragedies, General News
By Alexander Villafania
QUEZON CITY, METRO MANILA – Most commuters are annoyed by motorcycles, especially those that swerve through traffic without signaling, or those that drive into pedestrian lanes to avoid traffic. There had been hundreds if not thousands of recorded cases of accidents involving motorbikes across the country. Quoting the former secretary of the Department of Health, the Philippine Daily Inquirer reported that motorcycle accidents had the highest fatality rate, around 23 percent out of 122 accidents recorded in 2006.
This comes as no surprise with the surge in use of motorcycles, especially in Metro Manila. A report by the Land Transportation Office showed that motorcycles in the Philippines have outnumbered all vehicle types. In 2008, there were 2.9 million motorcycles registered with the LTO, compared to just 762,000 cars. These statistics and the lack of available bicycle lanes for two-wheeled modes of transports streets, become recipe for accidents.
Even today, accidents involving motorcycles continue to rise, as reported by ABS-CBN, which quoted the Philippine National Police saying there were 7,000 motorcycles being sold every week.
Several government officials have proposed measures to prevent more accidents from happening. These ranged from putting bike lanes, to having all bike owners undergo safety training, and to wearing helmets.
Just last March 23, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed in to law Republic Act 10054, which makes wearing helmets mandatory among motorbike owners. As stressed by its author, Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla, Jr. wearing a helmet reduces injuries from motorbike accidents by as much as 70%, deaths by as much as 20%.
It’s undeniable that motorbikes are becoming the preferred mode of transportation for many Filipinos. They’re easier to maintain, consume less gas, and are faster in traffic than most forms of transport. However, they also have inherent disadvantages; riders are not fully protected from the elements and are more prone to vehicular accidents.
The local forum Motorcycle Philippines has a lot of threads that provide basic to advanced information about motorcycle safety. There are also an interesting thread about “horror stories”, which give perspectives about the experiences of motorbike riders.
Another forum, Underbones Philippines has some tips taken from About.com that responsible riders must know:
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