OPINION: A Month After e-Trike Ban In Manila: Has It Made Manila's Streets Safer? - CleanTechnica

One month after the Philippines’ Land Transportation Office (LTO) enforced a ban on light electric vehicles (e-bikes and e-trikes) on major Metro Manila roads, officials claim it has improved traffic order by removing slower vehicles from fast-moving corridors. The rationale is that speed mismatch between slower electric vehicles (operating at 25-40 km/h) and faster cars increases rear-end collision risks, so banning these vehicles should reduce accidents and improve traffic flow. Early enforcement data shows a decline in apprehensions, which the LTO interprets as better compliance and safer roads. However, transport research challenges the assumption that speed variance alone determines safety, noting factors like vehicle mass, road design, and physical separation play crucial roles. Moreover, the LTO has not released comparative crash or injury data to substantiate claims that the ban has reduced accidents or improved overall safety. In practice, the ban appears to have displaced rather than reduced mobility demand. With over 1.5 million e-trikes and