
By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga
An information drive on road safety among motorists is being mulled by the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOCPPO) following a spike in the number of road accidents in the province.
NOCPPO director, Colonel Leo Pamittan, said he will meet with local officials from the Land Transportation Office, the Department of Public Works and Highways and local government units to discuss how to improve road safety awareness.
Pamittan will also discuss NOCPPO’s preparations for the holiday season.
From what they have observed, Pamittan said several areas in Negros Occidental currently lack road safety signs that possibly resulted in a number of fatal accidents, particularly during adverse weather conditions or at night.
Pamittan said he has ordered police commanders in various localities to strengthen police visibility along the highways, and as part of efforts to prevent road accidents.
Furthermore, the police director has also directed them to strictly enforce the overloading and height limits for cane trucks and haulers amid the sugar milling season.
Cane trucks are only allowed to load piles of sugarcane within 14 feet from the ground up to the top of the truck.
The trucks and haulers must also have adequate lighting to avoid accidents.
During the World Day of Remembrance for Traffic Victims and Survivors last November 19, Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson urged Negrenses to raise awareness on road safety to help minimize traffic-related incidents.
“We stand together, not just in remembrance, but in commitment and to work tirelessly towards a world where roads are safer, lives are protected, and the profound loss experienced by many becomes a rarity rather than a reality,” Lacson said./DGB, WDJ