The news outlets regularly publish stories of road accidents so I thought I would take a look at a few and see if any sort of pattern emerges. Filipino drivers are among the worst in the world which makes accidents inevitable.
A report from Candelaria police station said a sedan being driven by Frederick Fang was negotiating the bypass road in Barangay (village) Masin Sur around 1 p.m. Tuesday when an incoming sports utility vehicle (SUV) being driven by Alfredo Morano Jr. bumped into it.
Police said the northbound SUV overtook another vehicle and occupied the opposite lane when it collided head-on against the incoming car.
Due to the strong impact, the car spun while the SUV fell on the rice field on the side of the road.
Two motorcycle riders were killed while two others were injured on Thursday in separate road accidents in Pangasinan province, police said on Friday.
Robin Malacad, 18, died while being taken to a hospital after his motorcycle crashed into a tricycle at 7:10 p.m. along the Manila North Road (MNR) in Barangay Cablong in Pozorrubio town.
Police said Malacad was traversing the southbound lane when the tricycle suddenly entered the road from a gasoline station. Malacad reportedly tried but failed to avoid the tricycle.
Earlier in Bani town, Liezel Mamaril, 21, was killed after she was thrown off a motorcycle that crashed into a passenger bus along the highway in Barangay Garrita at 5:40 p.m.
Motorcycle driver Perfien Farnacio, 22, may not have noticed the bus when he took a left turn and slammed right into the middle of the bus.
In Taal town, a four-vehicle collision happened around 8:30 p.m. Monday along the diversion road in Barangay Latag.
In San Juan, two motorcycles collided head on in Barangay Maraykit around 1 a.m. Tuesday.
A report from the Quezon police said Ramil Atienza, 26, was accidentally hit by a still unidentified bus while standing along the side of the Maharlika Highway in Barangay (village) Sto. Cristo in Sariaya town around 7:55 p.m.
Atienza died while being taken to Sariaya Greg Hospital.
Police added that Atienza could have also been possibly run over by a passing sports utility vehicle after he was hit by the bus.
Meanwhile in the island town of Alabat, two motorcycles collided head-on while cruising along the Alabat-Quezon road at around 4 a.m.
A report from Calabarzon police indicated the incident happened around 3 a.m., involving a car driven by Kelly Villanueva and a tricycle driven by a certain Levy Gamil.
Police said the tricycle was heading towards Barangay Hugom when it was hit by the car.
Two tricycle drivers died, and four were hurt in a road accident about 4:30 a.m. on Wednesday (January 9) in Barangay (village) San Pedro-San Pablo, police said.
Tricycle drivers Danilo Ancheta and Manny Balaba were killed when a van driven by Gregorio Tolentino, 54, of San Luis town in Pampanga province, plowed into their respective vehicles.
Rolly Wania, who was sitting behind Balaba on the tricycle, was seriously hurt in the crash.
Tolentino fell asleep on the wheel as he drove south, causing the van to swerve and plow into the two parked tricycles.
Three persons were killed while 9 others were hurt in a three-vehicle smash-up when one of the drivers fell asleep at the wheel along the national highway here Monday afternoon.
“The Toyota Hi-Lux driver falls asleep at the wheel,” said Police Chief Inspector Bryan Placer, Matalam town police chief, referring to Ridznul Tandih, 34, who was driving the Toyota Hi-Lux from Zamboanga heading to Davao, when it crashed into a tricycle and a Kia Bongo from Matalam heading to Kabacan town at 1:45 p.m. in Barangay Kilada, Matalam.
Placer said the Toyota Hi-Lux first hit the tricycle and then the Kia Bongo double cab vehicle. Both four-wheeled vehicles sit on their sides beside the highway following the accident.
Placer said Tandih and his companions left Zamboanga at 1:30 a.m. bound for Davao City.
Police identified the fatalities in the Asingan road accident as Czarino Manibog, 25, and his back rider Jemray Castillo, 22.
Czarino and Castillo were on board a motorcycle when they collided with a pickup driven by John Mark Calrion, 24. Calrion was also injured in the accident and was treated in a hospital.
In Sual, two motorcycles collided head-on along the national road in Caoayan village at 5:30 p.m. injuring the riders identified as Ralph Alvarez, 23, and Jovell Castro, 27.
Police said both were driving at a high speed but Castro was believed to be drunk.
Nine passengers were injured in a crash when the van they were riding skidded and hit a tree in Garcia Hernandez town in Bohol province on Sunday morning.
Those hurt, including an Australian, were brought to hospitals in Jagna town and Tagbilaran City, according to PO3 Elvan Cadiz of the Garcia Hernandez Municipal Police Station.
Kenneth Centorias, 23-year-old driver of the van-for-hire, was detained at the police station pending the filing of a complaint of reckless imprudence resulting in multiple physical injuries.
The van was heading for Tagbilaran from Jagna town past 11 a.m. when it had an accident.
When it reached the national highway in Barangay West Canayaon in Garcia Hernandez town, the driver lost control of the vehicle, which skidded off and hit a gmelina tree.
Centorias told police that he was not able to step on the brakes on time because of the slippery road due to rains.
Authorities said the bus, which was carrying mostly government employees from Cavite, slammed into the rear of the cargo truck at about 5:20 a.m.
That is 10 articles and 12 accidents. Two of these accidents took place during the day and the rest happened at dusk, early evening, and early in the morning when still dark. Four involved tricycles and two were the result of drivers falling asleep at the wheel. One unfortunate casualty was standing on the side of the highway when he was hit by a bus and then run over by a passing SUV. Another accident was the result of one vehicle attempting to pass another which resulted in a head-on collision. Eight of these accidents involved motorcycles and three of those accidents were head-on collisions! Two of those collisions occurred at 1:30 am and 4:30 am respectively.
What can we learn here? What are the patterns if any?
The fact that the majority of these accidents take place at night coupled with my experiences of driving at night leads me to believe that some of these drivers were not using headlights. Especially the motorcycles colliding head-on in the early morning leads me to suspect they were not using lights. Too many motorcycles do not use lights at night. The same goes for tricycles. It is always a shock to be driving along and then suddenly see the shadow of a lightless pedicab or tricycle.
Two of these accidents involve drivers falling asleep. How many truckers are on the road half asleep? The case of the guy walking along the highway is not surprising at all. The lack of sidewalks or any kind of pedestrian path alongside roads is trouble waiting to happen. It is a common sight to see people walking along highways.
What can be done about this? According to authorities. Nothing. Nothing can be done because they have don't everything they can and they are having a "hard time" figuring out a solution.
The Philippines is having a "hard time" reducing deaths from road crashes despite efforts to curb casualties, a Philippine lawmaker told the United Nations General Assembly (GA) during the second regular session of its 82nd plenary meeting in New York on Friday, April 13 (Manila time).
Despite the action plan and policies passed, road crash fatalities continued to climb over the years. In 2015, a total of 10,012 people died due to road mishaps across the country.
Sarmiento added that intensifying law enforcement will "help instill discipline and deter unsafe driving behavior." Awareness through social marketing will also prioritize road safety on a daily basis, he said.
The last part about intensifying law enforcement is the key here. From R.A. 6975 which set up the PNP and lays out their duties we read:
Sec. 35 (B) (8) Traffic Management Unit. – Headed by a Director with the rank of chief superintendent, the Traffic Management Unit shall enforce traffic laws and regulations.
https://www.lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra1990/ra_6975_1990.html
It's rather obvious the lack of any law enforcement patrolling the roads and enforcing the law is to blame for many of these accidents. Pull over all vehicles not using lights and fine them. If they don't have working lights then impound the vehicle. Enforce helmet laws. Pull over speeding and reckless drivers. That's really what it will take. Not social programs or action plans. Not good wishes or goodwill. Just plain good old fashioned enforcing the law.
Never going to happen
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