Highway driving
Recently, there have been numerous motor vehicle accidents that have been plaguing the SRP. Authorities have imposed a 40kph speed limit in the hopes that it would prevent any future accidents from happening.
But speed is not the real issue here. Yes, speeding might increase your chances of getting into an accident, but “speeding” is a relative term. If you are on a tricycle or on a poorly maintained car with busted suspension, 40kph already feels like speeding. And in Cebu where there are no expressways, motorists usually don’t know the proper decorum of driving on roads like the SRP. Most motorist have this mindset that if it’s not in the LTO’s list of violations then it must be allowed. And this is where most accidents start. Here are a couple of examples:
Driving too slow. This is almost as bad as driving too fast. Doing so forces other drivers to avoid you and thereby causes unnecessary lane changes, this is compounded by hogging the left or passing lane. If you think you cannot keep up with the traffic flow, it is best to drive in the right most lane.
Not using your turn signals or using your turn signals too late. This also forces other drivers to make sudden driving adjustments since they do not know you were going to slow down or make a turn.
Changing lanes often. Most drivers that are used to the city have this habit of changing lanes non stop even if it doesn’t make your commute quicker. This is dangerous considering the speed is a lot faster than on the usual city drive. This might also annoy other motorists and cause road rage. Saving a few seconds of travel time is not worth the risk and aggravation you will be causing others.
Tailgating is also a bad habit for some. You might be faster but tailgating means you will have lesser time to react to accidents and unforseen situations.
Cars and motorbikes that are not maintained properly should also avoid travelling there because if your engine dies or your suspension gives way in the middle of the road, you will be a road hazard and might cause others to run into you.
All of the things mentioned here might not be found in the LTO handbook but it would most definitely fall into the “common sense” category. But sadly, nowadays, common sense is not so common.
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