EVEN without direct admission, the government seemed inclined to regulate the proliferation and use of battery-powered vehicles in Metro Manila, following the release of a 2023 data which showed the vulnerability of electric bikes.
In a statement, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) said that there were 556 crash incidents of electric bikes (or e-bikes) in Metro Manila last year.
Of the 556 incidents, 281 resulted in property damage, 273 non-fatal injuries and two fatal injuries. Crash incidents peaked in August 2023 with 64 cases, while the lowest recorded totaled to 26 cases in November 2023.
Quezon City posted the highest number of incidents among cities in the NCR with 96 e-bike crash cases. Of these, 42 are recorded as property damage with 54 non-fatal injuries.
Following Quezon City in the total number of crash incidents are Marikina with 72, Taguig 71, Manila 52, Parañaque 46, Makati 39, Caloocan 36, Pasig 36, Las Piñas 29, Pasay 22, Muntinlupa 15, Mandaluyong 14, Valenzuela 11, Pateros 7, San Juan 7, Malabon 2 and Navotas with 1.
In November 2023, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) proposed the mandatory registration of e-bikes, saying that only registered e-bikes should be allowed to use public roads.
According to LTO Administrative Order 2021-035, electric vehicles that have a maximum speed below 25 kilometers per hour are exempt from registration with the LTO.
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