DOH: 70% of holiday road crashes involved motorcycles
More than 70 percent of road crash injuries recorded over the holidays involved motorcycles, according to the latest data released on Friday by the Department of Health (DOH).
The agency also reported that five of the seven deaths recorded from Dec. 21, 2025, to Jan. 2, 2026, were motorcycle riders’ passengers; the other two were pedestrians.
Citing data from 10 sentinel hospitals, the DOH recorded 1,113 total cases of road injuries for that period, representing an 82-percent increase compared to the same period last year.
Of these cases, 787, or 71 percent involved motorcycles.
The DOH further noted that 965 of the injuries were caused by failure to use safety accessories, such as seatbelts and helmets, while 135 were due to driving under the influence.
Safety measures
The DOH once again reminded the public of the following safety measures to avoid road accidents:
• Wear Department of Trade and Industry-approved motorcycle helmets, and car seat belts
• Avoid driving while tired or drunk
• Follow the speed limit and road signs
• Get seven to eight hours of sleep before driving
• Avoid using mobile phones while driving
Last year, according to the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), motorcycles ranked second among the types of vehicles involved in road crashes.
MMDA data also showed that most of the fatalities in 2023 involved trucks and motorcycles, as well as cars and motorcycles.
Motorcycle ownership has jumped in recent years with the Motorcycle Development Program Participants Association Inc. (MDPPA) reporting that 1.58 million motorcycle units were sold from January to October 2025, an almost 14-percent jump from the same period in 2024. The market was projected to hit more than 1.79 million units sold by the end of last year, according to reports.
Motorcycle-related accidents, however, have also increased with the rise in the number of two-wheeled vehicles on the road prompting the MMDA to open a MMDA Motorcycle Riding Academy in Pasig City last year in a bid to educate more riders about road safety.
