By Chito Chavez
With the prevailing inclement weather disturbances marked by heavy rains, a Quezon City official asked the local traffic enforcers to strictly enforce the law especially against drivers turning off their vehicle’s headlights at night.
First District Councilor Victor Ferrer Jr. (MANILA BULLETIN)
Aside from drunken driving, First District Councilor Victor Ferrer Jr. said that driving with the headlights not in the appropriate brightness mode continues to be among the major causes of road mishaps, especially during this time of the year.
For varying reasons, Ferrer said that drivers mostly from the transport sector have refused to turn their headlights on even if the heavy rains have hampered their view on the road.
He also reiterated his call for drivers not to drink liquor when driving or not to drive when drunk, stressing that an “ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure’’.
In most road accidents, Ferrer said the motorists involved were mostly under the influence of liquor exceeded the speed limit or miscalculated their turns.
He reminded the motorists of the existing ordinance no. SP 1852 S 08 which requires them to turn on their headlights to the proper density from 6 pm to 6 am the following day as deterrent to road mishaps.
Aside from reckless driving, lack of road visibility caused by turned off or malfunctioning headlights of motor vehicles were traced to be one of the major causes of road accidents.
For widened major thoroughfares like Commonwealth Avenue, Ferrer cited the importance of headlights to be turned on from 6 p.m. onwards to allow the drivers a clear view of the road, especially in sections near pedestrian crossings.
As a reminder, Ferrer urged the public to strictly adhere to traffic rules and regulations also asking the pedestrians to use the overpasses and the underpasses to cross the streets for their safety.
He also called on the drivers to exercise their sense of patriotism by being law abiding citizens saying that ordinance no. SP 1852 S 08 prohibits motorists from turning off their lights even for the reason of slow traffic movement.
“Hindi uubra na patayin ang headlght ng mga sasakyan kahit na mabagal ang takbo ng sasakyan o kahit nakahinto ang sasakyan kung na sa red and traffic light. Dapat bukas ang mga ito pero hindi dapat nakakasilaw ang mga ito sa ibang motorists (It is unlawful to turn off the headlights even if the vehicles are travelling very slowly or even if it is in full stop on the red traffic light. It should be on the dim mode and not on the bright mode so as not to blind the drivers of other vehicles),’’ Ferrer concluded.