The Department of Transportation (DOTr) is targeting a significant reduction in road accident deaths in the Philippines, aiming for a 35-percent decrease by 2028 through various initiatives outlined in the Philippine Road Safety Action Plan.
Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista underscored the plan’s prevention-centric approach, highlighting stringent driver’s license and vehicle registration requirements, ensuring motor vehicle roadworthiness through Land Transportation Office (LTO) inspections and strict enforcement of traffic laws.
Bautista also emphasized the importance of infrastructure projects such as the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP), EDSA Busway, EDSA Greenways and Active Transport initiatives in promoting road safety awareness and safer transportation options.
“Our holistic and long-term focus targets the drivers, pedestrians, vehicles and roads. What’s remaining is sustaining the implementation of these strategies,” said Bautista.
The Philippines’ prevention approach to road safety aims to realistically reduce the figure to 35 percent in the next five years, he said.
“Included in the plan is the goal of reducing road accident deaths in our country by at least 35% by year 2028. One strategy is road safety education,” Bautista said
The Asia-Pacific Road Safety Observatory and Global Road Safety Partnership underscored the importance of uniting governments, development agencies, businesses and civil society organizations to address the pernicious effects of road crashes.
Data show that nearly 1.3 million lives are lost and an estimated 50 million injuries occur globally each year due to road crashes; road traffic injuries are the leading cause of death for children and young adults aged 5-29 years, and more than half of all road traffic deaths are among vulnerable road users, namely, pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists.
Meanwhile, 93 percent of the world’s fatalities on the roads occur in low and middle income countries; road traffic crashes cost most countries 3 percent of their gross domestic product; between 20 and 50 million people suffer non-fatal injuries, and road traffic injuries cause considerable economic losses to individuals, their families, and to nations as a whole.