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From Palm Sunday to Maundy Thursday alone, the Department of Health recorded 1,091 injuries related to road crashes that were handled by 161 hospitals nationwide. The DOH said this was a jump of 150 percent from the 437 cases recorded in the same period last year.
The figure is expected to go up as the DOH receives more reports from Good Friday to Easter Sunday and until today, as people return to the cities from the provinces after the long Holy Week break.
While pointing out that the jump in cases could have been partly due to improved reporting protocols in hospitals, the DOH also emphasized the importance of avoiding risky behaviors while driving.
Among the most common risky behaviors, the DOH noted, were failure to use protective gear and driving while drunk or drowsy.
Of the 1,091 injuries recorded, 783 involved motorcycle riders while 84 were pedestrians, the DOH said. Nearly all or 944 did not wear safety gear while 118 were reported to be under the influence of alcohol.
At least they survived. Studies show that road accidents are among the top 12 causes of death in the Philippines, with approximately 11,000 deaths occurring annually based on 2021 data. Nationwide, road crashes are a leading killer of people aged 15 to 29.
Nearly 90 percent of the fatal road accidents are attributed to human error and lack of driver discipline, notably speeding, reckless overtaking and driving while drunk, drowsy or distracted by activities such as texting.
Road safety experts have cited lax driver licensing rules for the lack of road discipline. The experts have also stressed the need to improve road infrastructure including proper street lighting along with tighter enforcement of traffic rules.
Motor vehicle owners, particularly of buses and trucks, need to implement regular and proper maintenance of the vehicles. Too many road crashes involving buses and trucks have been attributed to brake failure.
Over the weekend alone, eight people died including a three-year-old boy while at least 40 others were injured in road crashes in Cotabato, Ilocos Sur and Cavite. The accidents in Cotabato and Ilocos Sur were attributed to drivers recklessly overtaking other vehicles. Meanwhile, the road crash in Indang, Cavite was blamed on a driver who tested positive for alcohol.
Transport authorities and road safety experts have long identified the problems that need fixing and have proposed solutions. A more aggressive effort is needed to implement several of the proposals. To save lives and property, everyone has a stake in promoting road safety.
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Credit belongs to: www.philstar.com
