The Land Transportation Office (LTO) has embarked on a comprehensive data analysis of traffic accidents and road rage cases in the country to come up with holistic and effective government interventions aimed at reducing road accidents and compel discipline among motorists.

LTO chief, Assistant Secretary Atty. Vigor D. Mendoza II disclosed the agency’s efforts amid multiple cases of road accidents and road injuries, including this year’s Holy Week-related road accidents and road rage cases posted on various social media platforms.

“The cases of road accidents and road rage are not something new. These are the same scenarios that happened before at siyempre mas dumami ngayon dahil mas marami na ang ating mga kababayan ang may access to motor vehicle ownership — at mas maraming tao na ang nakakaalam na may mga ganitong pangyayari sa ating mga kalsada because of the power of the social media,”Mendoza said. 

“And we in the government, especially from your DoTr (Department of Transportation) and LTO, are taking advantage of these digital and communications technology in data-gathering to identify the problems and come up with the best solutions to reduce road accidents and drivers’ misbehavior significantly,” he added.

Reducing road accidents and providing the essential protection of all road users have been the subjects of a series of discussions initiated by DoTr Secretary Vince Dizon since he assumed his post.

Under his guidance, the LTO is now focusing on data analysis based on the available documents and data on road accidents and road rage cases across the country — with the goal of coming up with a comprehensive government intervention from the aspect of regulations and law enforcement to infrastructure review and recommendations.

Three-pronged

The study and analysis will focus on three main factors of road accidents — human or motorist factor, motor vehicle factor and infrastructure factor.

The first focus is on the identification of the usual causes of road accidents, including cases of road rage, that are directly related to the driving habits, the behavior and the skills of the motorists.

“The result would play a key role in our plan to revise the type of questions in the examinations for applicants of driver’s license and to come up with the new strategy on how to test the skills and readiness of the applicants. We believe that we have to regularly update these questions in order to meet the present situation on the ground,” Mendoza said.

He added, the study and analysis results will also serve as the basis in the adjustment of strategies on law enforcement and recommendations for stricter penalties for certain road safety and traffic rules regulations.