Reckless driving is one of the reasons behind the spate of road accidents that occurred in Metro Manila last year, according to the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA).
With the highest number of deaths recorded along the stretch of C-5 and EDSA, the incidents of road mishaps to this day remains prevalent.
Just today, eight people, including a pregnant woman, were seriously injured after a 14-wheeler truck crashed into a jeepney filled with passengers in Intramuros, Manila.
Meanwhile, a motorcycle rider rammed into a sedan after another car owner unwittingly opened his door to close his opened trunk in the middle of the southbound lane of EDSA Santolan flyover.
Two drivers died on the spot while 50 others were injured after a truck collided with a passenger bus in Atimonan Quezon yesterday. A nine-month-old boy and 10 children were among those hurt.
These road mishaps are only a fraction of the accidents that occurred over the past year.
According to a report by The STAR, MMDA traffic czar Bong Nebrija said that motorists’ behavior was the reason behind the road accidents on C-5 and EDSA, while road fatalities on Commonwealth Avenue, dubbed as Metro Manila’s “killer highway,” could be attributed to reckless driving.
The agency’s Metro Manila Accident Reporting and Analysis System revealed that 212 persons (154 drivers, 36 passengers, and 22 pedestrians) died because of road mishaps while 14,341 people (9,655 drivers, 2,546 passengers, and 2,140 pedestrians) were hurt.
However, the MMDA reported that the number of road accidents last year is lower compared to 2017, when 434 people lost their lives while 19,374 were injured in road mishaps.
In a bid to address the road accidents and fatalities, the MMDA has lowered the maximum speed limit down to 60 kph on all roads in Metro Manila, such as the Quezon/Commonwealth Avenue, Roxas Boulevard, Taft Avenue, Shaw Boulevard, Ortigas Avenue, Magsaysay Boulevard/Aurora Boulevard, and South Luzon Expressway.
But despite the continued efforts to trim down the number of road accidents in the metro, the agency’s persistent reminders of practicing self-discipline seem to fall on deaf ears.
With road mishaps happening almost every day, it appears that some motorists tend to forget that accidents could happen anytime whenever they’re on the road.
Not paying attention to the car directly in front of you might trigger a vehicle collision and claim lives of innocent wayfarers. Pushing the limits of your prized car could set off a number of accidents. Getting back at someone who just cut you could be the end of you.
We get it. It’s very tempting to speed up through traffic, most especially in the wee hours of the day. At the back of our heads, there’s always a never-ending voice – a desire of some sort – to pull off a Takumi Fujiwara move and pretend that you’re driving a Toyota Sprinter AE86 Trueno GT Apex through traffic in Tokyo just like in Initial D.
But the truth is, stepping on the gas in order to sate your dire need of a speed rush always comes with a price. Should a road mishap happen at your own doing because of your recklessness, you’re quite lucky if you only end up having a few bruises, busted front lights, and a banged-up bumper.
But still, it’s never cool to flex the muscle of your set of wheels to your fellow drivers. Because more often than not, they don’t give a rat’s behind how much horsepower your car engine could dispense in a few seconds
What matters most? Simply abiding by the rules that make us responsible drivers. – With Robertzon Ramirez/The Philippine STAR
