Conveyances of death

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 RENE GENOVE Bureau Chief, Dumaguete MAJA P. DELY Advertising Coordinator

CARLOS ANTONIO L. LEONARDIA Administrative Officer

On Wednesday night an accident involving a motorcycle and a Nissan Sentra car occurred at the corner of Rizal and Lacson Streets in Bacolod City. The motorcycle driver, identified as Roger Vergara, a city resident, was rushed to the hospital, but died about three hours later.

Friday last week, a collision between a taxi and another motorcycle caused the instant death of the driver whose backrider was thrown off the bridge in Barangay Singcang, also in this city.

Police reports said the motorcycle driver, 20-year-old Aubrey Rojo, was so badly injured, his head was crushed. The taxi driver and his four passengers also suffered injuries, and the backrider was reported to be in serious condition. Two deadly accidents, occurring within five days of each other, and not the only ones involving motorcycles in the past few months. In most of the cases, there were fatalities, and the accidents also happened when the motorcycle had a backrider.

And the incidences of motorcycle accidents have been rising, not only in Bacolod, but also in other towns and cities, including those in Oriental Negros. Where motorcycles used to be regarded as vehicles of convenience and economy, they are fast becoming conveyances of death and injury, some of the latter leaving effects that last a lifetime.

But it is not surprising that there are so many accidents involving motorcycles. More and more of them are coming out on our streets and even on our highways. And, what is dismaying about them is that, neither drivers nor passengers protect themselves with the required helmets, that could spell the difference between just injury and death. In many instances, we see motorcycles carrying not only one or two, or even three, but entire families of five, with very young children in between the adults. This is supposed to be prohibited by law, like the venturing out of drivers without the helmets. But the violations are being done flagrantly, and what are our policemen doing about it? Just look the other way? Don't they know that the blood of all the victims could be on their hands?*