Motorcycle for safety
Last week, the Land Transportation Office implemented the law concerning children on motorcycles. This law is a measure to ensure the safety of the minors on board what I think is the most dangerous vehicle there is. The law requires that children who will ride a motorcycle should have feet long enough to reach the footrest, except for those who have to be transported for emergency or special circumstances.
On the first day of the implementation, a lot of people did not know that it was in effect or that it even existed. There are those who are in doubt on whether it is to be followed since it will affect their livelihood. In the mountain barangays of Cebu City, children go to school by riding a motorcycle-for-hire which we often call the “habal-habal”. Since there are no other means of transportation to make their journey to the school faster, they resort to motorcycles. With the law in place, they are juggling their minds as to what alternative to have, unless the school or the barangay will provide them free transportation.
There is good intention to the law that was implemented. Apart from it ensuring safety, it also makes sure that minors will not be able to drive a motorcycle on their own – a sight which is often seen in the areas away from the city. However, I don’t think restricting short children from driving motorcycles is the only way to address the rising number of road accidents.
I always believe that it starts with the discipline of the drivers. When I took the exam for my non-professional driver’s license, I diligently answered each number from my memory; making sure that every item was answered right. If you knew the right answers, then you have an idea how it is to be a good driver. Sadly, I don’t see good drivers on the streets nowadays. The license is acquired with a couple of bucks, which defeats the purpose of having a complicated exam.
If we have drivers that respect the rules on the road as well as the rights of others when it comes to driving, I am sure that accidents will be reduced a hundredfold. I do appreciate the effort to keep children away from accidents, but I guess there are other laws that should have been in place before this.
The road is everyone’s territory where people from different walks of life are seen. Sometimes a mere family could only afford a motorcycle on an installment basis for their transportation. If you deprive the child from riding despite holding him/her tight, then you may deny him/her the opportunity to go to school or see the world as it is.
Responsible parenting is key as well as proper decorum on the road. I always believe that the Local Government Unit has a role to play and not just entrust everything to the national agency. Like anything else, there is always room for improvement.