President Rodrigo Duterte said Tuesday speeding should be controlled, claiming the deaths resulting from it seem like a “massacre.”
“This speeding has to be controlled because many are dying. The numbers are no longer good. It’s no longer bearable to read,” Duterte said in a speech.
“It seems like a massacre everyday.”
He made the statement even as two people were killed and six others were injured after an Asian utility vehicle plowed into revelers outside their home in San Jose Village, Quezon City, on Monday night.
The AUV was cruising along Mauban Street when it swerved into Tinagan Street, where a group of people were having their Christmas party.
The driver then lost control and crashed into the revelers and into a passenger jeepney.
Police said the driver was drunk, and that his companion was teaching him how to drive when the incident happened.
Duterte said riding in a truck had also become extremely risky.
“Control the speed of these trucks. Accidents these days, 10, 20 people die. I have to think about that. That has to stop,” Duterte said.
“It’s almost an adventure when you ride a truck because these sons of bitches will really hit something.”
A recent road crash involving two trucks in Cardona, Rizal, resulted in the death of nine people.
Speeding has been identified by the World Health Organization as one of the main problems that contribute to crash-related injuries.
The WHO says the Philippines is among the “deadliest” countries to be on the road, and that 12,690 Filipinos died due road accidents in 2016.
Data from the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority says nearly 400 people died in road crashes in Metro Manila in 2018, or an average of almost one casualty daily.
An average of 49 non-fatal road injuries, one fatality and 270 incidents of damage to property have also been taking place per day, according to the MMDA.
December recorded the most number of deaths with 38 fatalities, but the most number of accidents took place in October.
The most lethal hours to be out on the road are between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. (31 deaths), and between 11 p.m. and 12 a.m. (29 deaths), the data showed.
Most of the recorded accidents also involved motorcycles, with 13,594 non-fatal injuries and 224 fatal ones.
As for cars, 8,121 non-fatal incidents and 95 fatalities were recorded. With Rio N. Araja
