YEAR after year, the Philippines recognizes that a road safety crisis exists, yet very little happens to make our roads safer. Alarming numbers of Filipinos die every day as a result. After several five-year cycles of the Philippine Road Safety Action Plan (proposed steps to reduce the risk of death and injury from road crashes), there has been minimal impact. This has to change.
The official number of Filipinos killed daily on our roads remains high at an average of over 32 persons per day — over 12,000 lives lost in a year (mostly children and young adults in their prime) making our hazardous roads one of the leading causes of death and injuries, according to the Department of Health. Each of these lives could have been saved — Helsinki shows us how.
The capital of Finland achieved zero road fatalities over an entire year (from mid-2024 to mid-2025). This is a remarkable outcome, by any measure. Here is what they did:
First, both the national government of Finland and the city of Helsinki set a clear objective that no person should die or suffer serious injuries on its roads — a campaign known as “Vision Zero.” Behind this campaign was the recognition that every life is precious; and even one road death was not acceptable.
Second, Helsinki adopted the “Safe System Approach,” a strategy premised on the fact that humans, despite the best intentions and efforts, make mistakes. Therefore, road environments and infrastructure are designed so that the likely human error, when it does occur, will result in minimal injury. When mistakes are made in road crashes, the possibility of death will be low.
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Third, Helsinki applied low speed limits — 30 kilometers per hour (kph) or less on over 50 percent of its roads — recognizing that vehicles traveling at lower speeds will have much lower risk of a crash; and, even in case of a crash, a reduced severity of injury. (If you are hit by a vehicle traveling at 60 kph while you are crossing the road, there is only a 25-percent chance that you will survive the crash. If the car is traveling at 30 kph, there is a 90-percent chance that you will survive the crash.)
Road infrastructure was redesigned to be completely safe for vulnerable road users (pedestrians and cyclists). Protected bike lanes were introduced so that cyclists are fully separated from vehicular traffic. Raised crossings (speed tables or a flat road hump) were installed at pedestrian crossings. Selected streets were deliberately narrowed (traffic-calming) so that motor vehicles are compelled to slow down.
Camera-based enforcement of traffic rules was introduced widely; this changed driver behavior, especially for compliance with new speed limits. The certainty of penalties for violations motivated drivers to follow rules.
Helsinki also expanded the capacity and reach of public transport systems, encouraging many to leave their private motor vehicles at home and use public transport instead. Fewer private motor vehicles on the roads made the roads safer for all.
The Philippines continues to have a road safety crisis because leaders at national and local levels give more importance to the speed of motor vehicles than to the safety of ordinary Filipinos. Here is an example. I live in Pasig City where the integrity, decency and visionary leadership of the mayor are beyond question. And yet, it appears that Mayor Vico Sotto is powerless to make Meralco Avenue — a major artery in Pasig City — a safe place for pedestrians.
On any day, there are thousands of pedestrians crossing from one side of Meralco Avenue to the other at marked pedestrian crossings. Often and especially at night, there are vehicles traveling at high speed, racing down the road (many at over 50 kilometers per hour). Few vehicles bother to stop for pedestrians, even though the pedestrians at the crosswalks are visible from a distance; they ignore the required pedestrian priority at crosswalks in clear violation of traffic rules. This has been the case for decades. Even the police officers at the nearby Eastern Police District Station do not seem to be concerned about the risks that thousands of pedestrians on Meralco Avenue are exposed to.
Meralco Avenue is one corridor where the road safety lessons from Helsinki can be applied. The speed limit can be reduced to 30 kph without affecting the average travel speed of vehicles. (There is no real time savings from high-speed travel on Meralco Avenue because all vehicles anyway slow down and come to a full stop at the traffic lights on each end of the road). Cameras could be deployed to ensure that speed limits are respected. Wide continuous sidewalks and protected bike lanes could be introduced to serve the large numbers on foot and on bicycles.
With lower speed limits, speed tables could be constructed at every pedestrian crossing, forcing all vehicles to slow down. (The added advantage of a speed table is that it is built at the same height as the sidewalk. This enables persons in wheelchairs or with strollers to cross the street without encountering a ramp or a step).
Action should be taken now; there will be many more pedestrians crossing Meralco Avenue once the two subway stops on Meralco Avenue are completed and operational. Lives would be saved, and Filipinos would have improved walkability and accessibility, plus increased economic activity along the corridor.
When high-pedestrian-traffic roads like Meralco Avenue prioritize the safety of pedestrians and cyclists over the speed and convenience of those in cars, that is the time I know that the Philippines is serious about road safety. As Helsinki has determined, even one road death is one too many. It’s time to get our priorities right.
Robert Y. Siy is a development economist, city and regional planner, and public transport advocate. He is a co-convenor of the Move As One Coalition. He can be reached at [email protected] or followed on Twitter @RobertRsiy.