Road safety advocate James Deakin is urging the government to treat traffic safety as a long-term cultural issue rather than a matter of simple law enforcement, arguing that reducing crashes requires childhood education and generational awareness campaigns.

Speaking on the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority’s (MMDA) Kwentong Kalsada podcast, Deakin said strict enforcement and heavy fines provide deterrence but have a limited long-term impact if motorists and pedestrians lack an internal sense of responsibility.

“We shouldn’t be doing it just because someone’s watching,” Deakin said. “Road safety should be part of everyone’s lifestyle. It should be inherent in us.”

Road crashes are a leading public safety concern in the Philippines. The MMDA classifies traffic crashes as the top cause of injury and death among Filipinos aged 15 to 29.

Metro Manila’s primary thoroughfares — including EDSA, C-5 and Commonwealth Avenue — consistently record the highest numbers of traffic incidents.