CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (PIA) — During the closing ceremony of the Road Safety Awareness Month Celebration on June 6, Land Transportation Office (LTO)-10 Transportation Regulation Officer Alrey Ebajay emphasized the importance of adhering to pedestrian lanes and traffic rules and regulations.
Under Republic Act 4136, the pedestrian lane grants its users the right-of-way, but Ebajay stressed that the public must still adhere to traffic rules. The right-of-way does not always apply immediately to pedestrians, and assuming it does can lead to road traffic accidents.
Pedestrians need to prioritize their safety before their right-of-way. The law grants pedestrians the right-of-way when crossing the street using a pedestrian lane, but there are exceptions, especially when traffic lights or officers regulate pedestrian lanes. In these cases, pedestrians should adhere to traffic rules,” he said.
He also stated that pedestrians must observe traffic lights and other traffic rules when crossing streets, even if there is a pedestrian lane. A pedestrian lane does not automatically grant pedestrians the right of way; pedestrians should yield to vehicles, especially at intersections with traffic lights. Adhering to these rules can help prevent road accidents.
Additionally, LTO-10 discourages loitering and street vending along streets and pathways, as these activities can also cause accidents.
On the other hand, the Department of Health Center for Health Development Northern Mindanao (DOH-CHDNM) Local Health Support Division OIC Steffi Enon reported a significant increase of 39 percent in road traffic deaths, from 7,938 deaths in 2011 to 11,096 in 2021. She noted that 84 percent of these road traffic deaths were male.
Enon further emphasized that data collected in 2019 shows road traffic injuries remain the leading cause of death for children and young people aged 5-29 years old, and the 12th leading cause of death for all ages combined.
Meanwhile, Rolando Lopez, a road crash victim and survivor, stressed the importance of always remembering traffic rules and regulations, regularly checking vehicles using the BLOWBAGETS (battery, lights, oil, water, brake, air, gas, engine, tire, and self) procedure before traveling, ensuring both mind and body are in proper condition before driving, and avoiding drinking while driving.
Lopez shared that he had been involved in two vehicular crashes: one while traveling to Davao, when an incoming vehicle veered into his lane, and another in Cagayan de Oro City, where he was driving drunk after attending a gathering, resulting in his admission to the intensive care unit.
“Dili lalim maaksidente tungod sa kahubog, 14 days ko sa ICU busa ayaw ninyo awata. Ang akoang mga anak ato nga panahon nakipagpantintero sa mga guwardiya aron lang sa ilahang kagustuhan na makita ko kay tungod aduna ra may oras sa pagbisita,” Lopez emotionally recalled.
(It is not easy to be in an accident due to drunk driving. I spent 14 days in the ICU; please don’t replicate my actions. My children during those times always find ways to slip away from the guards just to see me due to the limit of the visiting hours.)
He emphasized the importance of avoiding drunk driving at all times for the safety of the driver and other road users. He also encouraged praying to God for protection before traveling, whether commuting or driving.
LTO reminds the public that everyone has a role to play in making roads safe, since road safety is a shared responsibility. (JAKA/PIA-10)
