Draw the line

There seems to be no end to traffic accidents in the Metro. We always hear about one every single day, some just the usual fender benders, while others more serious in nature. But you need not be a Mensa member to say that most, if not all these accidents are caused by human error. That was actually a nice way to put it. I had more harsh words in mind, pertaining particularly to brain function and evolution. But that's just me.

Drivers, particularly those who do not flee the scenes of accidents, always put the blame on the vehicles they drive. It just comes out so naturally from them, I really believe it is the only thing taught to them by the companies that hire them. Practically stating that the vehicles develop minds of their own, these drivers will say anything to get them off the hook. But we know better. Humans make mistakes. Machines simply amplify them.

I believe that in order to weed out these so-called drivers, the LTO must be strict in the issuing of licenses. Good luck with that. This is one agency that seems to be immune to the changes of a good administration. The fixers are still there, the facilitators are still there, everything is still in place. We've all heard about examination papers with pre-filled answers. Some applicants do not even show up. They just wait for their licenses to be handed to them. There are no actual driving tests and if there are, they were meant for brainstems. Obviously nothing can be done at this level. Anyone with a pulse can and will be able to get a license to drive.

So the next best thing is to give teeth to the penalties, sanctions, punishments, and fines of traffic offenders, handled by the MMDA or the PNP. The idea is to make them so reprehensible, nobody in his right mind would want to commit another infraction ever again. I've heard a number of suggestions. A compulsory seminar lasting the whole day for three straight days, even a week. That should put a shiver down the spine of those who just cannot comprehend anything. The money route can also be taken, as we all know most people do not to part with their money this way. Make the fines outrageous, with government approval of course, that paying these fines would break the wallets of the offenders. In extreme cases, especially when fatalities occur, immediate jail time would be the best.

Whatever works must be done right away. Several major infrastructure projects are underway. When accomplished, these would only increase the volume of vehicles on the road. That's more of the same, inept drivers on the road if not curtailed. Some level of intelligence, not education, must be set. A basic knowledge of vehicle maintenance and traffic laws must be mandatory. One should know how to check their vehicles before hitting the roads. And yes, this goes for all genders. The argument that women are worst drivers than men just doesn't hold water anymore. And a three, or even two-strike rule must be in place. If caught twice, goodbye license for maybe a year or two, where they have to apply all over again. 

A line has to be drawn as to who can operate a vehicle.  Otherwise we might as well just keep on counting bodies.