Poor working conditions… also play a major role in road accidents
It is common knowledge that many Filipino motorists do not practice basic road courtesies that can prevent accidents and save lives.
The lack of road courtesies coupled with bad driving habits best describe some of our motorists today. Road rage is a natural consequence of these two undesirable traits.
A motorist deserving of a driver’s license from the Land Transportation Office (LTO), for instance, should know when and how to use his vehicle’s mirrors and signal lights to communicate his intent on the road.
Keeping to your lane unless it is safe to overtake a vehicle in front of you is a wise option. More importantly, one has to keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front of you. This gives the motorist ample time to step on the brakes and avoid hitting the car in front, if it suddenly comes to a screeching halt.
Poor working conditions in the case of public utility vehicle drivers also play a major role in road accidents.
Just over the weekend, two road tragedies shook the nation and claimed the lives of 14 people, including several minors.
The mishap at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) is an example of a bad driving habit. The driver of the sports utility vehicle (SUV) could have pulled his handbrake lever as part of a good habit while parked at the departure area of the airport. That action could have prevented the SUV from ramming into the crowd bidding goodbyes to loved ones.
The driver of the Pangasinan Solid North Transit Inc. (PSNTI) bus that plowed into several vehicles at the toll gate of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) road mishap, meanwhile, admitted he fell asleep while driving.
His admission is symptomatic of the working conditions in the provincial bus transportation system.
The European Union implements strict daily driving hours rules. EU drivers can drive for a total of nine hours in a day. But they must stop after a maximum of four or five continuous hours and take a break of at least 45 minutes.
The twin road tragedies goaded Malacañan to act. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Vince Dizon to identify those responsible and exact accountability.
President Marcos called for nationwide audit of bus operators, a review of driver licensing protocols and stronger labor regulations aimed at curbing unsafe practices in the transport industry.
“Driver fatigue, long hours, and pressure to meet quotas should never put lives at risk,” says Mr. Marcos. At the top of his directive is the mandatory and immediate drug testing policy for public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers.
The government is also studying a policy to reduce the maximum driving hours for PUV drivers to address driver fatigue as a critical safety issue.
“Excessive driving hours can impair a driver’s ability to operate a vehicle safely. The Department of Transportation will be reviewing how many hours are appropriate,” says Palace Press Officer Claire Castro.
Secretary Dizon recommended a revision of the maximum number of hours for PUV drivers to just four hours from six hours.
“Currently, it’s six hours, I am asking them to reduce it to four. This is consistent with other countries like the European Union and some countries in Asia like Vietnam,” he added.
Quick expansion
PSNTI, the owner of the bus that figured in the SECTEX accident, meanwhile, has stopped its whole operations in compliance with the DOTr order.
PSNTI. popularly known as Solid North, is controlled by JAC Liner Inc. group. Owned by the family of Jaime A. Chua, JAC Liner began operating in April 1987 as a sole proprietorship operating two second-hand buses along the Alabang-Fairview route.
The JAC group has since expanded, acquiring several bus companies. In December 2004, JAC Liner formed its first subsidiary, Lucena Lines Inc., with a fleet of around 60 buses.
JAC Liner in 2010 bought Tarlac City-based company Dionisio R. De Leon Express and established Solid North. From 30 or so bus units, Solid North expanded its fleet from 30 units to around 150 bus units.
JAC Liner then took over Dagupan Bus Company and the provincial operations of Fermina Express, which had a total of 300 buses combined.
JAC Liner’s expansion from two mere second-hand bus units in 1987 is impressive. It should now start professionalizing its operations and driving crew to avoid road accidents stemming from negligence.
E-mail: rayenano@yahoo.com or extrstory2000@gmail.com
Tags:
Land Transportation Office, Pangasinan Solid North Transit Inc., JAC Liner, Jaime A. Chua Department of Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon, Ninoy Aquino International Airport
