The Department of Transportation (DOTr) is implementing various road safety programs to reduce the number of road-related deaths and injuries yearly by 35 percent in 2028.
During the recent Asia Pacific Road Safety Observatory 2023 annual meeting at the Asian Development Bank headquarters, DOTr Secretary Jaime Bautista cited the ambitious targets — endorsed by the United Nations General Assembly — to reduce by 50 percent the number of deaths and injuries by 2030 and also to realistically reduce the figure to 35 percent in the next five years.
“Included in the plan is the goal of reducing road accident deaths in our country by at least 35 percent by the year 2028. One strategy is road safety education,” Bautista said.
According to data, nearly 1.3 million lives are lost and an estimated 50 million injuries occur each year due to road crashes.
Road traffic injuries are the leading cause of death for children and young adults aged 5 to 29 years, and more than half of all road traffic deaths are among vulnerable road users, namely, pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists.
Bautista said the prevention strategy on road safety includes the stringent and extensive requirements in the issuance of driver’s licenses and vehicle plates as well as ensuring the roadworthiness of motor vehicles and enforcement of traffic laws by the Land Transportation Office.
He also cited other road safety projects such as the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program, EDSA Busway, EDSA Greenways and Active Transport to help create awareness of road safety.
“Our holistic and long-term focus targets the drivers, pedestrians, vehicles, and roads. What’s remaining is sustaining the implementation of these strategies,” said Bautista.
In recognizing road crashes as a human-made health crisis, the Asia-Pacific Road Safety Observatory and Global Road Safety Partnership stress the importance of uniting governments, development agencies, businesses and civil society organizations to address the pernicious effects of road crashes.
Meanwhile, 93 percent of the world’s fatalities on the roads occur in low and middle-income countries.
Road traffic crashes cost most countries 3 percent of their gross domestic product, while between 20 million and 50 million people suffer non-fatal injuries.
Road traffic injuries cause considerable economic losses to individuals, their families and to nations as a whole.
