The Most Unsafe Mode of Public Transport in Manila

[JackFlash]

According to this article, the answer is... The bus is the most unsafe mode of public transport in Manila, says report - Yahoo! News Philippines

The bus is the most unsafe mode of public transport in Manila, says report

By Monico D. Mekaniko

QUEZON CITY, METRO MANILA – Riding the bus is the most unsafe mode of public transportation when you’re in Metro Manila, a study claims.

The likelihood of getting into a road-related accident is higher among buses than in any mode of public transport, according to a report by a professor from the University of the Philippines Diliman Institute of Civil Engineering (UP-ICE).

The report by UP-ICE Assistant Professor Hilario Sean Palmiano, which he showed during the 9th Professional Chair Colloquium, presents causal factors of road crashes in Metro Manila and its effects on the Philippine economy.

The report itself is a synthesis of several researches from undergraduate students on the causes of traffic accidents as well as possible solutions.

Palmiano’s synthesis showed that by far, buses have the highest rate of accidents among all vehicles in Metro Manila, both public and private.

Citing data from the Metro Manila Accident Reporting and Analysis System (MMARAS) for 2010, there were already 7,633 recorded incidences, which was against just 7,050 registered buses that year. This meant that statistically, there was at least one accident per bus.

Despite having more accidents reported by public jeeps, the chances getting involved in a jeepney accident is lower. There are 50,085 registered jeeps by the Land Transportation Office (LTO) in 2010 versus 11,296 recorded incidences.

Taxis and FX vehicles are also exposed to high risk incidences. There are 37,478 LTO-registered cabs and FXs in 2010 while there were 7,927 reported incidences.

Tricycles are more numerous but reported the least number of accidents. There were 70,080 registered vehicles in 2010 but only 3,221 accidents as of 2010.

Traffic incidences involving private vehicles were also high (72,906 reported in 2010) largely due to being the biggest group of registered vehicles in 2010 (401,801 registered by the LTO).

Citing another undergraduate study, Palmiano said that among the causes of road crashes include driver inattentiveness, risky driving behavior, vehicular defects, and road defects. Certain types of roads, particularly the warped parallel type (parallel roads in weaving formation) cause around 40 percent of reported pedestrian injuries and 29 percent fatalities.

The length of sections, called weaving lengths that allow for U-turns also poses risks especially those that are coming in from the outside lane. Many weaving lengths in Metro Manila are less than 180 meters, which is not enough for vehicles from outside lanes to approach the U-turn. Palmiano suggests that weaving lengths must be no less than 180 to 200 meters in length for ample distance to approach a U-turn slot.

Palmiano also suggests that bus drivers be given constant road safety training programs to lessen the conditions that make buses a major cause of road accidents. In addition, provisions for pedestrian facilities in major roads must also be given. The government must also implement speed limits and strictly apprehend reckless drivers.

Stay safe and till next time, this is Monico D. Mekaniko, Va-va-vroom!

[niky]

Finally... statistical proof that those damn u-turns are dangerous. I've always felt that the positions were wrong. U-turn slots should be at least one intersection away from the road they service.

Paging the MMDA...

[vinj]

Hehehe... nice nom de guerre. :D

Yes, those "weaving lengths" for the U-turn slots are quite short resulting in drivers cutting across almost perpendicularly and accelerating hard. For me though, the best approach when traffic is thick and moving steadily (i.e. 40-60kph), is to accelerate slowly and switch one lane at a time until i get to the U-turn slot lane.

You don't need to be a rocket scientist though to observe just how unsafe bus drivers are.

[coiter]

Finally... statistical proof that those damn u-turns are dangerous. I've always felt that the positions were wrong. U-turn slots should be at least one intersection away from the road they service.

Paging the MMDA...

agree. IMO the distance between the intersection and u-turn slot should not be a fixed measurement but rather a percentage or ratio of the road you have to cross. ex. if 3 lanes, 180 meters. if 4 lanes, 210 meters, etc.
problem din kasi is katamaran at katigasan ng ulo ng ibang drivers coming out of establishments near a u-turn slot. minsan halos left turn na ang ginagawa or perpendicular na ang pagcross nila. sample lang yung sa katipunan. pag may galing ng jolibee or even national bookstore e pipilitin pang dun sa tapat na u-turn slot iikot imbes na sa ilalim ng katipunan-aurora flyover. or kung galing dela strada church, ipipilit dun sa intersection ng cp garcia mag uturn instead of going a bit further (around 200M only) sa may start ng UPIS compound.

anyway, regarding unsafe mode of transport. i think tricycles should be higher. mas madalas kasi di narereport ang mga minor accidents at nadadaan lang sa kamot ulo dahil usually libliban at walang pulis sa lugar kung saan nagkaka aksidente.

[JackFlash]

U-turn slots: brilliant legacy ni Bayani. And I thought he was an engineer.

Pinoys lazy to walk? You bet. Nagpupumilit na bumaba at sumakay kung saan bawal. Notorious jaywalkers - would rather walk under the pedestrian footbridge. Would rather climb over road barricades instead of use pedestrian lanes.

Hot, humid weather is not an excuse, as we've seen in Singapore, Malaysia, HK in summer, and even in some US cities during the height of their summer heat waves.

[jjmd3_787]

Trikes? Yep, low accident percentage BUT people, especially passengers, who are involved in trike accidents have higher mortality rates.

And the people in vehicles near/around these buses are more unsafe than the passengers in the buses.

BIG ENGINES/VEHICLES + NO BRAIN behind the wheels = perfect formula for DISASTER

[CVT]

Tingin ko mas delikado iyong padyak sa riles ng tren... Nandiyan na ang tren at todo na ang busina,- hindi pa rin naalis sa riles....

16.7K:sampay:>>>:weathermanf2:

[robot.sonic]

Di sinama motor sa statistics?

[cast_no_shadow]

Di sinama motor sa statistics?

Mode of public transpo daw eh.

kung mode of transpo lang number 1 ang motor hehe..

for me trikes and pedicabs unsafe talaga, maliit ang chance mabuhay ang sakay.

[renzo_d10]

oo nga why are pinoys so lazy to walk, ako, I would rather walk than ride the trike
byaheng langit? baka byaheng impyerno kasi demonyo yun nag mamaneho

Hindi naman kasi kaaya-aya ang panahon natin dito bro., kapag naglakad ka ng 10am-3pm, pagdating mo sa pupuntahan mo sobrang baho mo na dahil sa pawis. At least kapag tricycle, mahangin.

Pati yung bangketa natin hindi naman fit para lakaran ng taong nagoopisina. Ang daming butas, maputik, masikip, minsan dinadaanan pa ng motor. :sad:

Mode of public transpo daw eh.

kung mode of transpo lang number 1 ang motor hehe..

for me trikes and pedicabs unsafe talaga, maliit ang chance mabuhay ang sakay.

As long as trikes/pedicabs stay where they should be, they're actually safer than buses who weave in-and-out of traffic in devilish speeds. But when the tricycles hit the national highway for example, that's the only time it gets dangerous.