‘And, the fact remains that these drivers are forced to take drugs for long hours of driving due to the lack of shifting manpower.’
THE multiple-vehicle crash on Katipunan Avenue last Thursday night that killed four people and injured 26 others should finally rouse authorities on the real danger posed by drugged or drunken driving.
LTO chief Assistant Secretary Teofilo Guadiz has ordered the revocation of the license of the driver of a van that caused the accident, and his perpetual disqualification from driving a motor vehicle. He was fined P2,000 for reckless driving, despite the numerous deaths and injuries to his victims. The PNP, LTO and LTFRB have all been terribly remiss in their lawfully-mandated commitments to keep order in the streets and prevent road accidents by errant drivers and operators..
As we know, there have been countless cases of serious accidents caused by drunken and drugged driving, with very few cases resulting in the actual arrest and imprisonment of the culprits. One major reason is the complacency or deliberate neglect of the concerned agencies that have allowed drunk or drug-influenced drivers to be on the road frequently. And, the fact remains that these drivers are forced to take drugs for long hours of driving due to the lack of shifting manpower. The supposedly regular maintenance checks on the road fitness of public vehicles have also been notoriously ignored.
Very sadly, the law does not require operators and owners of public utilities and private or company-owned vehicles to immediately compensate for lives lost or injured and the damage to property. This can only happen after tedious and prolonged litigation for criminal and civil liabilities. Meanwhile, the hapless families of victims have to fend for themselves to ensure emergency hospital treatment, daily medication, and recovery of their loved ones.
People should brace themselves for the actual threats of drunken or drug-crazed driving which have been quite frequent at the start of the Christmas season. It has been quite evident that party-goers would dine and drink to their heart’s delight and hit the road after, with no one from the LTO or PNP on sight to check and prevent the tipsy drivers from causing serious accidents on the streets. We do recall that the PNP, according to its spokesperson, was determined to strictly enforce the law against drunken driving, especially in Metro Manila. I have observed that no policeman was visible in front of numerous restaurants and drinking bars at most nights in Marikina where I have been a resident since the mid-1990s.
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Many forget the meaning of the most festive holiday season of all because they miss out on the real meaning of the first Christmas. The greatest miracle in human history showed Jesus being born in a stable, on a manger and wrapped in swaddling clothes. And this after Mary and Joseph had to travel about 120 miles to get to Bethlehem through unfamiliar and rough terrains. The condition of His birth contradicts the merriment and lavish gatherings that have portrayed the Christmas celebration which should not be all about gluttonous and material abundance.
On the first Christmas, Jesus exhibited spiritual abundance by being born that way and shunned the royal or regal trappings that otherwise befit the God and Creator of the entire universe. He wanted us to embrace a simple and selfless life with Him in the center so that we learn how to deny ourselves of the selfishness and decadence that this world brings to our plans and ambitions.
