NEGRENSES have been warned against reckless driving especially by tricycle drivers in southern Negros Occidental where most of the road mishaps often occur.

“Ignoring traffic signs or rules by the drivers would sometimes result to road accidents and that people from all walks of life should be awakened by taking precautionary measures and being aware of the possible road mishaps,” said Negros Occidental Provincial Police Office (Noppo) Director Manuel Felix.

Last year, more than 2,231 road mishaps transpired in the province with 494 deaths and more than 500 injured victims, Noppo said.

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From January to October this year, 71 vehicular accidents were recorded, a drastic drop from last year's figure, which Felix noted, was a result of the PNP’s strong campaign against erring motorists.

Chief Inspector Rico Santotome Jr., Noppo spokesperson, said in the first 10 months of this year, 263 injuries and 54 deaths were recorded. Thirty-nine suspects voluntarily surrendered to the PNP.

The relatively-lowered incidence and fatalities due to road accidents in the province can be attributed to Noppo's intensified campaign on road safety and management in line with the Team Negros action plan in coordination with the provincial government led by Gov. Isidro Zayco, said Felix in Tuesday’s  presentation of the road safety situation in the province.

Also present at the steering committee meeting held at the Governor’s Office were Provincial Board Board Member Renato Gustilo, chair of the committee on peace and order, Land Transportation Office, Project Cares and Noppo personnel.

Likewise, the conduct of seminars and symposia on road safety management resulted in a lowered number of fatalities and injuries, Santotome said.

“The problem is the people’s attitude. They only care if their family member becomes a victim of road accident…people become conscious when one member of the family is victimized in a road mishap,” Felix lamented.

He cited that students are a bigger population that is vulnerable to road accidents, the “highly probable victims”.

Gustilo, on the other hand, cited the lack of manpower to educate people as one factor that contributes to the occurrence of road accidents.

Felix appealed to Negrenses to be law-abiding responsible citizens as it will help the advocacy achieve its mission of reducing incidence of deaths and injuries due to road crash.

Meanwhile, a road safety memorial and tree park will soon be constructed at the Provincial Capitol Lagoon and Park in Bacolod City.

The park will serve as a reminder of lives lost and a focal point for remembrance and other gatherings or actions.

“This is a global initiative project proposed to governments worldwide to give further opportunity for highlighting the consequences of road dangers, with a special focus on prevention,” said May Altrajeros-Cueva, who chairs the Community Activities Reaching to Everyone thru Services (Cares).

The park where a monument will be erected is in line with PB Resolution 0922-2006, which adopts the declaration of the United Nations celebrating every third Sunday of November as World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims and Their Families.

Said resolution, authored by former Board Member Francis Gerard Tuvilla, recognizes the need to have a major advocacy day for road and traffic injury prevention as means to ensure safer roads in the province.