Manila councilor presses motorcycle safety regulations

MANILA, Philippines—A Manila councilor is pushing for regulations regarding motorcycle use in a bid to ease road accidents and discourage crime in the city.

In a draft ordinance submitted for first reading this week, Councilor Joel Chua of Manila’s third district has come up with regulations that seek to address the high incidence of road accidents and crimes involving motorcycles.

Chua’s draft ordinance includes the following regulations:

* that only one rider at a time be allowed on a motorcycle;

* that motorcycle riders be banned from wearing more than one earphone attached to an audio device;

* that the Motorcycle Helmet Act of 2009, which requires riders to wear their helmets at all times, be strictly enforced; and

* that safety devices like side mirrors and properly working headlight, taillights or signal lights and fairly audible horns be strictly required of all motorcycles.

In an interview, Chua expressed hope that the ordinance, if approved, would discourage motorcycle-related crimes, particularly where suspects ride tandem, with at least one passenger seated behind the driver.

The draft ordinance also suggested prohibiting helmets with tinted face shields or any material “that restricts the full view or appreciation of the facial features of the owner or driver of the motorcycle”; and urged that all plate numbers be conspicuously printed on the rear portion of the helmet’s shell.

Chua was moved to draft the ordinance due to the number of motorcycle accidents in his immediate area and after spotting riders ferrying at most three children on their motorcycles. “The driver was probably after convenience, not knowing he was putting the children at risk,” he said.

He added that there was a need for a policy to ensure the safety of Manila’s motorists.

Chua suggested a fine of P500 to P1,000 for those who refuse to follow the regulations, should the ordinance be passed into a local law.

He said the regulations enclosed in the ordinance would be in keeping with the local government’s task in the “promotion of the general welfare.”