More than one person dies from a traffic accident in Negros Oriental every day.
This was learned from data submitted by the Negros Oriental Provincial Police Office, which bared that 843 have died due to traffic accidents all over Negros Oriental from 2014 until last month, or an average of 1.2 deaths a day.
Sr. Supt Edwin Portento, PNP head of Negros Oriental, said the number of deaths due to traffic accidents is very alarming and that something has to be undertaken to address the situation.
He said deaths due to traffic accidents has wider repercussions as many are involved to include loss of income, the families being left behind by maybe the bread winner who dies as a result of the accident, as well as properties that may be damaged.
Reckless imprudence which resulted to almost 1,000 deaths in three years can be attributed to lack of road courtesy and discipline and total disregard to traffic rules and regulations, perhaps lack of knowledge regarding defensive driving, Mariano pointed out.
He lamented the fact that too much noise is heard when one or two are killed by way of extrajudicial killings but no concern is raised with a very alarming figure regarding deaths as a result of reckless driving and utter disregard of traffic rules and regulations.
Aside from the 843 deaths, reckless driving resulting to physical injuries has also reached 5,450 and 5,958 resulted to damage to properties during the same period from 2014 up to the present.
Mariano said these figures nose-dived a little but is still considerably high. He believes a massive campaign to educate the motoring public and the enforcers themselves is needed in order to reduce road accidents.
He enjoins Land Transportation Office -deputized agents, consisting of two policemen in every police station, to enforce RA 4136 or the Land Transportation and Traffic Code and other regulations.
Mariano also pushed for the impounding of vehicles so it will have effects on the drivers to make them feel the law may be harsh but it is the law and that impounded vehicles can only be withdrawn after paying the penalties set by law.
This is in line with Oplan Disiplinadong Driver launched by the Highway Patrol Team. Mariano, however, said with only two HPT enforcers in Negros Oriental they could only do so much with the help of the rest of the LTO-deputized agents.
Meanwhile, during Oplan Kalag-kalag (Halloween), the HPT was able to apprehend more or less 25 motor vehicles for violations of RA 4136 otherwise known as the Land Transportation Code of the Philippines. (Juancho Gallarde/PNA)
