Senator Grace Poe has raised concerns over the increasing number of deaths and injuries from road accidents, urging the urgent passage of her transportation safety bill in the Senate.
“Lives are lost and injuries are sustained daily by motorists for reasons that could have been prevented in the first place. This is simply unacceptable,” said Poe, author of Senate Bill No. 1121, which proposes the creation of the Philippine Transportation Safety Board (PTSB). “Nakakabili ng bagong motorsiklo. pero hindi napapalitan ang buhay.”
Poe stressed that the alarming rise in road mishaps should push authorities to take immediate action to reduce, if not eliminate, accidents. The proposed PTSB would be responsible for investigating transportation-related incidents across air, land, sea, and rail, as well as pipelines.
The bill also includes measures to improve safety, such as stricter vehicle inspections, better driver licensing and training, and enhanced safety protocols.
“Driving is a responsibility as much as a right,” the former chairperson of the Senate Committee on Public Services said.
For public utility drivers, including motorcycle taxi riders, Poe suggested offering free training through the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).
According to the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, road crashes in 2024 reached 62,723 cases, resulting in 332 fatalities, with most accidents involving four-wheeled vehicles, followed by motorcycles and trucks.
The Department of Health reported 12,241 deaths from road crashes in 2022, with road incidents increasing by 25.6% annually over the past decade.IMT
