The Land Transportation Office on Sunday has stressed anew the importance of modernizing public utility vehicles in the country to reduce fatal road accidents.

This comes after a road accident in Nagcarlan, Laguna which involved a passenger jeepney and left two people dead, including a two-year-old girl on 19 January 2024.

LTO chief Assistant Secretary Atty. Vigor D. Mendoza II said fatal accidents such as that in Laguna is one of the major reasons why Department of Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista has been firm in his decision to push through with the much-needed Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program.

“Through the PUV Modernization Program, our commuters will be assured of comfortable and safe mode of transportation. This will also benefit other road users in terms of their safety,” Mendoza said.

Vehicle malfunction is one of the reasons behind fatal accidents in the country and according to Mendoza, it should not be the case especially for public utility vehicles since they should always be checked to ensure that they are road worthy.

Based on the police report, the passenger jeepney lost control of the steering wheel after the vehicle lost its brakes and hit the two victims while ramming several vehicles before it stopped.

Vehicle malfunction is one of the reasons behind fatal accidents in the country and according to Mendoza, it should not be the case especially for public utility vehicles since they should always be checked to ensure that they are roadworthy.

To recall, the DoTrhas been pushing for the reduction of road accidents in the country by 35 percent before the term of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ends in 2028.

Based on the data of the World Health Organization, around 1.3 million people die in road accidents around the world while between 20 million to 50 million are injured, including injuries that result in disability.

In the Philippines, a UN data also disclosed that around 32 people die every day as a result of road accidents.

“The government’s goal of reducing unnecessary deaths and injuries due to road accidents includes a shift to a safer, comfortable, convenient and sustainable modernized public transportation under the PUV Modernization Program,” Mendoza said.