800 persons killed yearly in road accidents — MMDA

An average of 800 people, mostly pedestrians, are killed yearly in road accidents, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said yesterday.

Citing data gathered by the agency’s Metro Manila Recording Analysis System, MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando said pedestrians comprise 64 percent of the total number of deaths while drivers comprise 19 percent and passengers, 17 percent.

The study gave Fernando another opportunity to reinforce his campaign to clear streets of obstructions such as illegal sidewalk vendors, for which he has been severely criticized when he implemented it a year ago.

"What should be emphasized here is that most of the pedestrians killed were sideswiped. They could not walk on the streets because illegal vendors had occupied the sidewalks," Fernando told The STAR.

However, the MMDA’s sidewalk clearing operations have also resulted in some deaths and several injuries.

The study revealed that the accident prone areas include the Monumento-Balintawak portions of EDSA; the EDSA-Fairview portions of Commonwealth; the Pasong Tamo and Makati Avenue portions of J.P. Rizal Street, and the EDSA and Harvard Street in Forbes Park portions of McKinley Road.

Fernando disclosed that the MMDA will use the results of the study to devise measures to minimize deaths due to road accidents, especially for pedestrians. These include posting warning signs on EDSA and other main streets where most jaywalkers are hit by vehicles.

From July to October this year, 250 deaths from road accidents were recorded in the study. However, Fernando emphasized that compared to provinces, Metro Manila has lesser number of deaths because of the slow moving traffic in major thoroughfares.