Manila, Jan. 2 -- Road crash-related injuries continued to rise during the holiday season, with the Department of Health (DOH) recording 1,113 cases from Dec. 21, 2025 until 5 a.m. on Jan. 2, 2026, based on reports from its 68 sentinel hospitals.

The DOH said Friday the figure is 82 percent higher than the number of cases recorded in the same period in 2024.

It noted that seven fatalities were documented, five of whom were motorcycle riders.

An additional 68 cases were logged on Dec. 21 alone, the agency said.

Of the total cases, 787 involved motorcycles, while 135 were linked to alcohol use. A total of 965 patients, meanwhile, were found not using safety accessories, such as helmets or seatbelts.

The DOH reiterated its call for saf...