New killers on the road

Published by the Visayan Daily Star Publications, Inc.

NINFA R. LEONARDIA Editor-in-Chief & President

CARLA P. GOMEZ Editor GUILLERMO TEJIDA III Desk Editor NANETTE L. GUADALQUIVER Busines Editor CEDELF P. TUPAS Sports Editor (On Leave) RENE GENOVE Bureau Chief, Dumaguete MAJA P. DELY Advertising Coordinator

CARLOS ANTONIO L. LEONARDIA Administrative Officer

It has been observed lately that not a day passes without a report about accidents involving motorcycles in Negros Occidental and Bacolod City. And because the DAILY STAR also covers Negros Oriental, we might add that this is also true of that part of this island.

Official sources in Bacolod and Negros Occidental alone actually confirm this and have shown that more road mishaps involving motorcycles have been recorded in the first six months of 2007 than in the whole of 2006.

The Bacolod City Police Office and its Traffic Management Unit have recorded 392 such accidents in the first half of 2007, while there were only 267 in the whole of the year 2006. Significantly, too, only four deaths were recorded from motorcycles accidents in 2006, but in only six months of 2007, from January to June, 15 fatalities had already been noted, figures which show an alarming growth of incidences and should ring alarm bells among both our residents, and our police authorities.

The accident reports carried by this paper appear to follow a similar pattern. They are most often collisions between two cyclists, both running beyond speed limits, of motorcycles sideswiped by other, bigger vehicles on the highways, or of motorcycles going out of control and hitting parked vehicles, or residences, walls, and even trees. Many, maybe most, of the cases involved motorcyclists with backriders.

Even police officers have complained that most of those who got involved in fatal accidents are those who are not wearing the regulation helmets required by law of those riding or driving those types of conveyance.

It has to be admitted that motorcycles are popular means of transport now in most towns and cities of the country, not only because they are easy to maneuver even in the most difficult traffic situations, but also because of the greater economy they provide, as far as maintenance is concerned.

That is why we see more and more of them on the streets and highways nowadays. At the same time, they also pose great danger to both riders, other drivers and pedestrians.

The police may complain about the stubbornness of motorcyclists in ignoring the rule on helmets, but they should be more consistent and persistent in apprehending violators. Other things they should require, are extensive, honest-to-goodness briefings or seminars on the proper handling of such vehicles, and on the rules of the road before the granting of licenses. These are just some ways by which we can perhaps, reduce the statistics on deaths and injuries as far as the use of motorcycles is concerned.*