Road safety seminar a must for motorbike users, says solon

THE RISING number of road accidents involving motorcycles has prompted a House member to file a bill requiring motorcycle owners and drivers to undergo a safety riding seminar before they are allowed to hit the streets.

Catanduanes Rep. Cesar Sarmiento cited a report from theMetropolitan Road Safety Unit showing that incidents involving motorcycles have posted the highest fatality rate compared to other vehicular accidents in MetroManila.

He noted that from 2006 to 2010, the number of motorcycle accidents has been on the rise.

In 2006, motorcycles had the highest percentage of road accidents at 29.59 percent. The figure rose to 32.4 percent in 2007, then to 34.96 percent the following year. In 2009, it was 36.78 percent, and rose further to 37.63 percent in 2010.

“These facts are dauntingly alarming,” Sarmiento said. “Despite various efforts both of public and private agencies to reduce these accidents, it is still indubitable that at the heart of this problem is the lack of education among most motorcycle drivers on road safetymeasures.”

He said owners and drivers of motorcycles—including tricycles, scooters and the so-called “habal-habal”—are covered by his proposal.

The dealers fromwhom motorcycle owners bought the vehicles would have to conduct a safety riding seminar andmay charge a maximumregistration fee of P300 per participant.

Attendance in the seminar would be a prerequisite for the vehicle’s registration. For those who already have motorcycles ahead of the bill’s passage into law, they will be required to undergo the seminar to renew their registration.

Sarmiento said dealers who would fail to give a seminar would be slapped a P10,000 fine. The same fine applies to government personnel who would approve the registration without themotorcycle owner meeting this requirement.

For motorcycle owners and drivers who operate the vehicle without completing the seminar, the fine would be P1,000.

The Sarmiento bill designates the Department of Transportation and Communication as the measure’s lead enforcer.