Paving safer roads for Filipinos

ROAD ACCIDENTS continue to claim more lives each year, with official data showing a sharp rise in fatalities.

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From January to November 2024, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) recorded 62,723 incidents. These crashes killed 332 people.

Four-wheeled vehicles remain the most involved in road accidents, making up 54% of total cases, followed by motorcycles at 22.03%, and trucks at 7.41%. Traffic-related deaths remain the top cause of mortality among those aged 15 to 29, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

Beyond the human cost, road crashes create a major economic burden. In fact, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that road traffic injuries cost the Philippines about 2.6% of its gross domestic product, which includes medical expenses, emergency services, loss of productivity, and vehicle damage.

With the current pace of road-related deaths and injuries, the government and the private sector face growing pressure to address the issue not just as a transport challenge, but as a national public health and economic problem that demands urgent attention.