Traffic mishaps kill 593 in first half of 2012

MANILA, Philippines - Vehicular accidents have claimed the lives of almost 600 persons nationwide during the past six months of the year, the Highway Patrol Group (HPG) said yesterday.

HPG spokesman Superintendent Edwin Butacan said a total of 5,021 traffic accidents occurred from January to June this year or about 27 traffic accidents a day. In the statistics, there were a total of 593 deaths and 2,376 people injured.

In collated reports submitted to HPG director Chief Superintendent Leonardo Espina, Butacan said the common causes of vehicular accidents include human error and mechanical defect.

“When we say human error, there was bad overtaking, bad turning, overspeeding, using cellphones while driving, drunk driving and overloading. Mechanical problems include road condition and animal crossing,” Butacan added.

Based on records, he said there was a decrease in the number of vehicular accidents this year compared to last year, with 7,717 cases, including 688 deaths and 3,134 injured victims.

Although he could not provide more details, Butacan said most number of accidents took place in Metro Manila.

Of the vehicular accidents, the police official said 54 of them were considered “major highway accidents” since the incidents took place in major roads in the country. The 54 cases claimed 71 lives.

At the same time, Butacan said drivers of passenger buses have yet to appreciate the programs giving them fixed salaries since drivers still tried to outdo each other in picking passengers on the road.

“Drivers are still racing against each other to get passengers, the problem, which government authorities are trying to address in coming up with the program on fixed salaries,” Butacan said in Filipino.

He recalled when the seatbelt law or Republic Act 8750 was implemented in 1999, many motorists resisted, resulting in numerous arrests by the HPG. He pointed out that after about six months of the seatbelt law, most motorists have complied.