The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) recently emphasized the importance of motorcycle riders’ education as road crashes involving them have increased by 21 percent with Quezon City having the highest incidence.
MMDA traffic czar Bong Nebrija said that rider education is an important aspect in giving license to motorcycle drivers as he stressed that they are prone to road crashes especially in major thoroughfares in Metro Manila.
“The riders’ education campaign talagang napaka-importante kasi (is really very important)… (because it’s about) basic information that they should know. Ang iba kasi sa kanila, sisingit at sisingit talaga sa mga daan without knowing yung panganib nito (Some of them just cut into spaces on the road without knowing the peril,” Nebrija said.
Records from MMDA’s Traffic Engineering Center-Road Safety Unit showed that 26,652 motorcycle riders in Metro Manila have figured in crashes in 2018, 21 percent higher than the 22,063 total the year before.
While fatal road crashes were reduced by 13.2 percent from 235 deaths in 2017 to 204 in 2018, cases of non-fatal injuries have increased by 21 percent from 10,033 cases in 2017 to 12,108 in 2018.
“It is every road user’s responsibility to promote safety on the road,” he said.
For motorcycle riders, the Quezon City recorded the most cases of fatal road crashes at 56 in 2018, though still lower by 24.3 percent compared to 74 deaths in 2017.
Nebrija attributed the high incidence of fatal road crashes in Quezon City to its vast land area compared to other cities and municipalities, along with the volume of vehicular traffic converging in major thoroughfares like Commonwealth Avenue, EDSA, and C5 Road within the city’s jurisdiction. He said that it is not the design of the roads that is killing the motorcycle riders.
Nebrija added that the motorcycle riders’ apparent defiance in observing the designated motorcycle lanes is also a reason for crashes. Fatal motorcycle crashes also happened in the cities of Parañaque with 29 cases; Manila, 25; Caloocan, 18; Marikina and Valenzuela with 13 each; Las Piñas, 10; Pasig, Malabon, Pasay and Taguig with six each; Makati and Muntinlupa with five; Navotas with four; and Mandaluyong with two deaths.
There were no reported fatal road crashes in Pateros in 2017 and 2018.
To lessen the cases of road crashes among motorcycle riders, Nebrija said that the MMDA has been organizing road safety summits, which deals with the riders’ speed and discipline on the road, in coordination with the local government units’ own efforts.
He said that they have also intensified their efforts in putting up safety road signs especially on EDSA, C5 Road and Commonwealth Avenue. – Robertzon Ramirez/STAR
