BAGUIO CITY – The city government said is eyeing the implementation of a speed limit on specific roads to deter accidents.
Speed limit eyed on Baguio roads to curb mishaps
“I will call a meeting this week. Tinitingnan naming paano i-limit ang speed sa bawat kalsada, especially in areas na malimit nagkakaroon ng aksidente (We are looking at how to put a speed limit on all roads especially in areas which are prone to accidents),” Mayor Benjamin Magalong said in an interview on Thursday.
Magalong said he will call the meeting with all concerned offices to address the rise in road mishaps, which he described as “alarming.”
The mayor said there is a scientific study that shows the impact of speed limit in the incidence of vehicular accidents.
Police Major Marcy Grace Marron, Baguio City Police Office information officer, said data showed that from Jan. 1 to May 27 this year, there were 375 vehicular traffic accidents recorded in the city which killed eight persons and injured 60 others.
Of the number, nine were public utility vehicles while 366 were privately owned.
Meanwhile, the bulk of cases numbering 350 were due to human error while the rest were due to mechanical defects and unpleasant road conditions.
On Wednesday afternoon, three persons were injured when the truck they were riding incurred a mechanical defect while descending Marcos Highway.
At around 3 a.m. on Thursday, a closed forward truck with three passengers also allegedly incurred a mechanical defect while ascending Bokawkan Road and bumped into a Tamaraw FX vehicle and three others parked on the roadside.
The occupants of the truck died on the spot while the driver of the Tamaraw FX was rushed to the hospital.
Both roads have been identified as among accident-prone areas, especially for speeding and overloaded vehicles.
Magalong also said he is talking with the Land Transportation Office (LTO) as well as the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) for the conduct of a massive education for drivers.
“Gagamitin namin ang Convention Center for a series of seminars or orientations sa safe driving seminars para ma-address natin ito dahil lumalabas na karamihan are human error, indiscretion ng drivers (We will be using the Convention Center for a series of seminars or orientation on safe driving so that we can address this. It is coming out that most of the accidents are human errors, indiscretion of drivers),” the mayor said.