Pagdilao orders random inspections on drunken drivers
- Sunday, 09 January 2011
- Written by Calamba Super Administrator
CALABARZON police director, Chief Superintendent Samuel D Pagdilao Jr. has directed the Highway Patrol Group (HPG) in Region 4-A to initiate a random stop, board, and on-the-spot check on drunken drivers to prevent the repetition of last Sunday’s vehicular accident on Southern Tagalog Arterial Road (STAR) in Ibaan, Batangas that resulted in the death of seven members of a family.
Amidst public clamor for government to address the concerns on road safety especially in national roads and tollways, Pagdilao also directed the HPG to strictly implement the rules against over speeding. He also ordered the HPG to coordinate with the managements of South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) and the STAR Tollway on how the rules against over speeding and driving under the influence of liquor can be strictly implemented.
Pagdilao expressed support to the plan of Batangas Governor Vilma Santos-Recto to hold a multi-agency conference to further address the safety of motorist.
Pagdilao said he will immediately convene a region-wide dialogue with local government units and other agencies involved such as the Land Transportation Office (LTO), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), and the management of STAR Tollway and SLEX to thresh-out measures that will improve the interoperability of all agencies concerned in ensuring that all laws and rules on motorists' safety are being strictly implemented.
Pagdilao said that records from HPG reveal that for the year 2010, 544 of the 1,078 vehicular accidents recorded in CALABARZON occurred in SLEX. The STAR Tollway has recorded three accidents including the one in Ibaan, Batangas last Sunday.
HPG records showed that the highest number of vehicular accidents in 2010 occurred in the month of September with 127, followed by November with 115, and March with 107 vehicular accidents.
HPG records also showed that for last year, 219 people were killed in vehicular accidents in CALABARZON. The most fatal month for motorists last year was in April where 27 people were killed in road accidents, followed by March with 22 people killed and December with 22 including the seven members of a family who died in STAR tollway accident.
Citing the records of HPG, Pagdilao said it's about time the government and the private sector to seriously work hand-in-hand to prevent road tragedy similar to the accident that killed seven people last Sunday in STAR Tollway. Source: CALABARZON Police Regional Office
