Road crashes claimed nearly as many lives as 2020 storms did despite lockdowns

MANILA, Philippines (2020 November 16) - As if typhoons do not represent enough devastation already, they now come with the extra threat of COVID-19 with every misstep. But a look at the numbers tells us that another old menace—road crashes— claimed nearly many lives as the biggest storms of 2020 have, despite people staying inside more these past months. 

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported a total of 119 casualties from Typhoons Quinta, Rolly, and Ulysses as of November 15. In comparison, 118 fatal road incidents were recorded by DRIVER, a road crash data collection system, since mid-March, when the lockdowns linked with the COVID-19 pandemic began. 

DRIVER, or Data for Road Incident Visualization Evaluation and Reporting, is a web application designed to view, collect, and analyze road incident data in the Philippines and was developed through a partnership of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the World Bank. 

Media group VeraFiles reported in October that while the number of incidents has declined from before the lockdown, road crashes continue to occur despite fewer people and vehicles on the road. One of the factors experts cited was speeding, which drivers have an opportunity to do when traffic volume is low. This points to the importance of wearing seatbelts and, in the case of children, car seats while inside vehicles to keep them safe. 

On Tuesday, November 17, a webinar titled “Buckle up your treasures!” will be held in commemoration of the World Day of Remembrance (WDoR) for Road Traffic Victims. Speakers will tell stories from personal experiences as well as discuss the Child Safety in Motor Vehicles Act, or RA 11229. The new law, signed in 2019, requires a car seat (also called “child restraint systems”) for each passenger 12 years of age and younger and will be enforced starting February 2021. 

Follow the Buckle Up Kids PH Facebook page for updates on RA 11229. 

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