LTO urged to conduct more roadside drug tests

CEBU, Philippines - The increasing number of road accidents in Cebu prompted members of the Provincial Board to request the regional office of the Land Transportation Office to conduct more random or roadside drug testing to prevent or minimize similar accidents.

In a resolution, Board Member Victor Maambong said drug use, by itself, is dangerous and harmful to the user or drug dependent himself. He said that if the driver is the one addicted to illegal drugs, he will be dragging along with him numerous other lives into trouble.

The sentiment was shared by Board Member Peter John Calderon. Citing statistics, Calderon said 48 percent or 10,000 of more than 20,000 incidents nationwide have been attributed to “reckless driving,” as cause of death and property damage.

These incidents, Calderon said, are modifiable or preventable by subjecting drivers to surprise or random drug tests.

The random roadside drug testing conducted by LTO recently yielded positive results. At the Cebu North Terminal in Cebu City, five out of 45 drivers were found positive of using illegal drugs.

On the other hand, at the roadside drug test at the North Reclamation Area, five of 60 drivers tested were also found positive of using illegal drugs. — Jose P. Sollano/JMO