Senate considering ban on small kids riding motorbikes

THE FAMILY that rides this way together is a no-no under a proposal reaching the Senate. EDWIN BACASMAS

Motorcycle safety in the country has been notoriously lax, at least when the authorities aren’t looking. More laws are apparently needed to further increase non-compliance. As suggested by a safety advocacy group for kids, the Senate is now considering banning small children from riding motorcycles, a restriction that will be based on the minors’ height and reach, not on their age.

The Senate also expressed openness to a motoring group’s recommendation that the Philippine National Police (PNP) go after back riders only if these were both male, instead of imposing an outright ban on tandem riding. They apparently have not heard of female or cross-dressing assassins.

In a hearing on Tuesday, the Senate subcommittee on transportation chaired by Sen. Vicente Sotto III took up his bill prohibiting motorcycle back riders unless the passenger was the driver’s spouse, child or parent. It also discussed two measures that sought to ban children, either 12 years old and younger or 7 years old and younger, from riding on motorcycles.

The proposals were in response to the spate of crimes perpetrated by men on motorcycles and the rising number of accidents involving the two-wheelers.

During the hearing, officials of the Motorcycle Philippines Federation (MPF) and the advocacy group Safekids Philippines said the prohibition against children on motorcycles should depend on whether they could reach the foot pegs and wrap their hands around the driver’s waist.

Arturo Sta. Cruz of the MPF and Jesus de la Fuente of Safekids Philippines both observed that children should not be banned from riding on motorcycles based on their age since this would be difficult for authorities to readily determine based on outward appearance.

Sta. Cruz also suggested that instead of Congress passing a new law, the PNP could just issue a directive authorizing its personnel to check motorcycle riders if they consisted of two men on one vehicle.

With report by Leila B. Salaverria