Road crashes killing, injuring more Pinoys, says UP study

THE roads are getting deadlier and deadlier.

On Manila Streets there were some 58,447 cases of road crash incidents with 385 recorded deaths in 2021, according to the 2021 report of the Metro Manila Development Authority.

That means, everyday, there were about 160 road accidents in the National Capital Region.

Globally, the United Nations said road traffic accidents are responsible for the deaths of almost 1.3 million people and the injuries of another 50 million globally. 

Filipino youths are becoming victims of tragic road-related accidents from 2010 to 2019, according to a study by the University of the Philippines Manila.

A 2022 study by Acta Medica Philippina of The National Health Science Journal indicated that the Philippines has an increasing trend of mortality and morbidity caused by road crashes for drivers up to 30 years old. 

There were 296,760 cases, or 31 percent, admitted due to transport and vehicular crash based on the Department of Health’s Online National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (ONEISS).

Of this number, ONEISS recorded that the biggest portion of transport/vehicular accident data came from Region IV-A, with 33,640 cases. This was followed by Region III with 28,945 cases, Region XI with 27,686 cases, National Capital Region with 27,602 cases, and Region VI recording 26,227 cases.

Based on the study, the highest reported contributing factor of road accidents among Filipino youths was drunk driving, with about 25,537 cases. Other risk factors for transport and vehicular crashes involve alcohol intoxication, drug use, and mobile phone use.

“​​There was an increasing trend in the number of transport/ vehicular crashes (TVC) during this period (2010-2019), with an average increase of 25.58 percent cases per year,” the study said.