We made a long day trip to San Fernando, La Union from Manila and back. Out of curiosity, I made a tally of the vehicles that made us slow down from 40-80 km/h to 10-30 km/h in a national highway. Here are the breakdown:
Type of vehicle Manila to La Union La Union to Manila Average
1. Tricycles 43 40 41.5 (53% of total)
2. Jeep 1 2 1.5
3. kuliglig 1 2 1.5
4. trucks 16 15 15.5 (20% of total)
5. FX/van 2 3 2.5
6. buses 3 6 4.5
7. motorcycle (single) 6 10 8 (10% of total)
8. car 1 6 3.5
Total 73 84 78.5
An average of 78.5 vehicles has forced us to slow down per trip. We need to exercise caution in overtaking these slow vehicles as most portion of the national highways does not allow overtaking (double yellow line or busy oncoming traffic). More than half (53%) of road hazards of this type are tricycles along national highways. Trucks comes second as these comprised 20%. Motorcycles came third as 10% are motorcycles.
If you will multiply these number to the thousands of vehicles using the national highways that were compelled to hit the break and slow down, then accelerate again, you would get a fair idea of the fuel, break lining and time wasted. I can only surmise that the amount is huge. This unnecessary economic loss is more than enough to build another lane for slow moving vehicles along national highways, so these vehicles will not pose hazards to themselves and to other motorists. Aside from improving road safety, it will increase the efficiency of our roads, and the productivity of local businesses. Do we still need a more detailed study on this?
Turn ON your lights
Research found that turning the vehicles' lights on can prevent accidents.
In Canada, the authorities made it a requirement for vehicles to automatically turn the lights on once the motor engine starts running. So day and night, vehicles running the streets have their lights ON. It is safer because you can easily recognized vehicles. Canada is quick to adopt such a helpful research finding, and undoubtedly saves many lives and limbs.
In the Philippines, a research finding like this would surely take the usual snail's pace before this can be implemented. Many lives may have to be shed before policy makers can appreciate the urgency of such move. So, on our own, let us do this voluntarily. Let us turn ON our lights. Why not? It does not need a law to do that out of own free will. In the same way, no law prevents us from turning ON our vehicles' lights. We just want to make our roads a little safer for all of us.
BTW, it is not a waste of electricity if we turn the lights ON, even during daytime.
So turn your lights ON! Let others see the lights of day. The life you saved maybe your own.
Adopt a 'Drive, don't drink; Drink, don't drive' Policy
Driving under the influence of alcohol has been identified as one of the major causes of road accidents. However, this is one violation that is difficult to implement in the Philippines. One reason is that the law requires to prove that certain level of alcohol in the blood has been reached by the driver. Secondly, the penalty is too light for the gravity of the offense, which include endangering the lives of others.
It is high time for our lawmakers and policy makers to act and change this iniquitous law. Let us adopt a 'if you drink, don't drive - if you drive, don't drink' policy. Alcohol and driving don't mix. If they do mix, it's fatal. Any sign that a driver has taken alcohol should be enough to put him/her in jail to preclude any accident. And since the possible outcome of this violation is death, this offense should be criminalized as it is a wilful act, not just a mere traffic violation, and the offender must be meted at least 90 days of community service (to offset the social cost that may have suffered by the public) and a fine of P20,000, for the first offense. The penalty should be doubled if the violation is incurred again. The penalty should be stiff enough so that risk taking (not to obey the law) may not be resorted to anytime. But all of these are futile if the law enforcement agencies are not implementing the law consistently.
UN Decade of Action for Road Safety
The United Nations has proclaimed the period 2011-2020 as the 'Decade of Action for Road Safety' with the aim of stabilising and then reducing global road deaths by 2020.
In the Philippines, we earnestly hope that we can muster enough political will to push this campaign and save lives and limbs of our citizens, especially the most vulnerable sector like children and the poor. Let us join hands to make sure that proper legislation will be enacted to replace the antiquated traffic code, which was promulgated when there were still very few vehicles in our urban areas.
In the Philippines, we earnestly hope that we can muster enough political will to push this campaign and save lives and limbs of our citizens, especially the most vulnerable sector like children and the poor. Let us join hands to make sure that proper legislation will be enacted to replace the antiquated traffic code, which was promulgated when there were still very few vehicles in our urban areas.
'Vaccines' for Roads
Make Roads Safe (2):
The 'vaccines' for the road injury epidemic are available. We know how to reduce road deaths, and in most industrialised countries road deaths have been cut by at least half over the past 30 years, even as the number of vehicles has increased dramatically. Improved road design and a focus on pedestrian safety, safer vehicles, motorcycle helmets, seat belts, action on drink driving, driver training and licensing and tackling speed – this is how road deaths can be reduced. The missing ingredient is political commitment to take action"
The 'vaccines' for the road injury epidemic are available. We know how to reduce road deaths, and in most industrialised countries road deaths have been cut by at least half over the past 30 years, even as the number of vehicles has increased dramatically. Improved road design and a focus on pedestrian safety, safer vehicles, motorcycle helmets, seat belts, action on drink driving, driver training and licensing and tackling speed – this is how road deaths can be reduced. The missing ingredient is political commitment to take action"
A Neglected Issue: Road Safety
Make Roads Safe (2):
The international community has failed to respond to this epidemic. Global road safety is largely ignored and neglected by politicians. This neglect means that developing countries are unable to receive the financial support and technical advice they need to improve road safety in their countries. And while road deaths in the rich world are falling, deaths in the developing world are rising fast."
The international community has failed to respond to this epidemic. Global road safety is largely ignored and neglected by politicians. This neglect means that developing countries are unable to receive the financial support and technical advice they need to improve road safety in their countries. And while road deaths in the rich world are falling, deaths in the developing world are rising fast."
Child Killer
Make Roads Safe (2):
Road crashes are the leading global cause of death for young people aged 10-24, and by 2015 are predicted to be the leading cause of premature death and disability for children in developing countries aged five and above. Already, according to Unicef and the WHO, 260,000 children die and another 10 million are injured in road crashes every year."
Road crashes are the leading global cause of death for young people aged 10-24, and by 2015 are predicted to be the leading cause of premature death and disability for children in developing countries aged five and above. Already, according to Unicef and the WHO, 260,000 children die and another 10 million are injured in road crashes every year."
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