DRIVING THOUGHTS

Two tragedies, three days apart – and happening in places that should have been safe.

On May 1, a devastating crash occurred at the SCTEX Tarlac toll plaza. A passenger bus lost control and slammed into four vehicles. Ten people died, 37 were injured. Among the victims were children in a van on their way to a church camping activity—an innocent trip that ended in tragedy. In another car, a two-year-old child survived, securely strapped into a child safety seat. But his parents, both killed in the collision, never made it to their planned family vacation in Baguio.

In an interview conducted by Jania Tecson, a trainee assigned to my section, a first responder from the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) said the child sat in the child car seat with no reaction to the tragedy. In front of the child were his parents, both dead. The mother was a member of the Philippine Coast Guard.

Back to our road safety crash story, just three days later, on May 4, the horror repeated itself—this time at the entrance of NAIA Terminal 1. An SUV, parked in front of the terminal, suddenly accelerated and plowed into a crowd of passengers and well-wishers gathered at the gates. The presence of bollards meant to protect the pedestrian zone, did not stop the vehicle from crashing into the crowd, killing a four-year-old child and a 29-year-old man.

 The four-year-old girl had just said goodbye to her father, an overseas Filipino worker who was with them for three weeks, the longest vacation he had with his family. The 29-year-old man, who was on his way to a business meeting in Dubai, was the breadwinner of his family.  A younger sibling whose education he funded, had recently graduated.

What more has to happen before we act?

These are not isolated incidents. They are symptoms of a much deeper crisis —a transportation system  that is “broken,” as Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon said in a press conference after the NAIA incident.

Globally, the World Health Organization reports that 1.19 million people die every year in road traffic crashes—more than 3,200 lives lost every day. Road traffic injuries are now the leading cause of death for children and young adults aged five to 29. The Philippines is no exception. Every week, our headlines report of collisions, injuries, and often, deaths.

The cruel irony? May is Road Safety Month in the Philippines—a time dedicated to promoting road safety awareness and saving lives. And yet, this May, we find ourselves grieving innocent victims, not celebrating progress.

We need urgent, systemic change. As a motoring journalist for decades, here’s what many of us had been advocating:

Enforcement of traffic laws should be consistent. Reckless driving, over-speeding, and operating unfit vehicles must result in real, lasting consequences—not just traffic tickets, but license suspensions and legal accountability.

Regular and transparent vehicle inspections should be conducted, especially for public utility vehicles, which carry dozens of passengers daily. Safety checks must be thorough, honest, and non-negotiable.

There is a need to overhaul driver education and licensing. A license must represent real knowledge and responsibility—not just the ability to pay a fee. Continuous training should be mandatory for professional drivers.

The government authorities know by now about the many unfavorable experiences when netizens had applied for a driver’s license, or for its renewal – the presence of people who clearly do not know anything about traffic rules, or are not physically fit to drive a motor vehicle. (I’ve experienced two instances.)

Our engineers should restudy and redesign infrastructure with safety in mind. The May 4 crash proved that cosmetic solutions like flimsy bollards aren’t enough. We need real barriers and clearly marked pedestrian zones in airports, toll plazas, and transport terminals.

We should invest in technology. CCTV monitoring, speed cameras, automated ticketing systems, and mandatory dashcams for public vehicles can help enforce the rules and deter misconduct.

Most of all, we should establish a culture of safety. Road safety education must start in schools and extend into communities. It’s not just about avoiding fines—it’s about valuing lives.

Years ago, the Society of Philippine Motoring Journalists (SPMJ) advocated road safety for children, publishing teaching modules for elementary and high school students. SPMJ conducted workshops to introduce the use of those teaching modules to several public school teachers.  Perhaps private organizations like SPMJ should revive their advocacy on road safety, and reprint those modules again.

These are not new ideas. What we’ve lacked is the political will and collective urgency to act.

The families of those who died on May 1 and May 4 now live with an unbearable loss. But their stories must not end in silence. We must ensure their pain leads to something better—for all of us.