Road Safety

[Gavanddal]

I was making the point on another forum about the relative road safety between the RP and UK where it is virtually non existant in the RP and we are stifled with nanny state regulations here (seatbelts, crash helmets, one person per seat, MOT tests, tyre tread depths, the highway code etc etc).
Someone posted some statistics saying the the Asia Pacific region had 44% of the worlds road deaths but only 16% of the worlds vehicles.
However, The Philippines has less than 2 road deaths per 10,000 vehicles but the UK has 6 deaths per 10,000 vehicles.
Having just returned from RP, I got the impression that whereas many vehicles are death-traps, they drive more defensively and slowly. They assume that every other road user, child, cockerel, dog and goat will run out in front of them and drive accordingly. We in the UK in our safe, airbagged, crumple-zoned, high-powered vehicles drive like we're in control of the roads and are invincible. That's why people get so irate when someone dares to pull out in front of them.
I guess that as our roads are generally better and faster, it all comes down to speed. But isn't that what the government keep telling us?

Food for thought.

Gavin

[baboyako]

lies, damn lies & statistics...

the correct way to measure would be 'per vehicle mile' rather than 'per vehicle'.

the UK has around 3x as many accidents (deaths/injuries) as the Philippines. but we do more miles i bet?

[KeithD]

I very much doubt the Phil stats are correct. They measure them from every island do they? They can't even get simple admin in Manilla done correctly.

http://www.adb.org/Documents/News/2004/nr2004155.asp

Bit of a discrepancy between official figures & realistic don't you think. Or do you still believe that travelling without a seat belt, on bald tyres in rain is safer....and whizzing around Manilla in the dark with no working lights on a motorbike with no helmet is safer?

[KeithD]

PS....That's 15 per 100,000 in the Phil for those who can't do the maths

Also the UK one includes pedestrians, I doubt the Philippine one does, as most countries tend not to record them, as they have no insurance companies to collate the figures.

[baboyako]

9000 is 3x the death rate for the UK

[Gavanddal]

Or do you still believe that travelling without a seat belt, on bald tyres in rain is safer....and whizzing around Manilla in the dark with no working lights on a motorbike with no helmet is safer?

I find it quite horrifying the number of vehicles with bald tyres and those without lights at night. In fact nearly every tricycle and jeepney I saw in Camiguin had no tyre tread at all.
Maybe if road safety legislation was stricter then many operators would be put out of business? Is it the governments attitute that they're better off scraping a living and risking lives rather than having no job at all?

[KeithD]

For all the white boys that have been the Phil, you obviously believe it's safer crossing the road in the Phil than the UK? ........If I cross the road in Denbigh I don't have to cross myself first

[joebloggs]

hmm reminds me of the first time i went to pinoyland, my wife got a taxi to take her to the airport and bring us back...

the taxi driver was nearly drunk, his car was a death trap.. all the way he has pushing the break pedal, when we had to stop , he was pumping that break so much to slow down, i want to jump out !!! no wonder they have the holy cross on their dash boards..

[dave65]

It seems that over here whilst we have stricter rules and safer vehicles the attiude of drivers generally is appalling
within the islands the driving attiude is so relaxed
imagine in london what would happen if someone overtook cut in and stopped in front of a taxi or white van man chances are there would be a punch up or at least a lot of bad language but over there they just find a way around or if they cant just wait
i really enjoyed riding a bike out there even in town i dont think my bro in law liked being on the back i think i was a little too err spirited for him