Rizal Philippines
June 24, 2017
or respectful of the law.
Do MC slow down on the pedestrian lanes? Are you one of them who dont? Be aware 42C of
the Traffic Code of the Philippines mentioned here
There is an oversight; lack of penalties make the law the laughing stock of these pasaway
and may be for a good reason; but lives are in danger daily
A video of woman crossing a pedestrian lane in Bulacan being hit by two speeding motorcycles caught my interest. Indeed, many motorists, MC and other MV disobey disregard the pedestrian lane. They forget that they too sometimes become pedestrians. In our town, right in front of the municipal building, motorists do not stop at pedestrian crossing lane. An elderly was hit by a speeding tricycle near a bakery pedestrian lane. The victim was able to get up, was brought to hospital where he was declared out of danger but died later during the day
WHO identifies the pedestrian, ,the bikers and even the most vulnerable entities to traffic accidents. 50% of deaths occur among those vulnerable entities From WHO Road Traffic Injuries report (The video says in the Philipppines this is 9/10!)
What can be done?
1. Driver education (like this one) The trouble is one can easily get drivers license here at LTO even without taking the exams; Republic Act 4136 enjoins motorists to yield to pedestrians when approaching pedestrian lanes. (The traffic code of the Philippines ) These laws are important for road safety.
From LawPhil
Section 42. Right of way.
(a) When two vehicles approach or enter an intersection at approximately the same time, the driver of the vehicle on the left shall yield the right of way to the vehicle on the right, except as otherwise hereinafter provided. The driver of any vehicle traveling at an unlawful speed shall forfeit any right of way which he might otherwise have hereunder.
(b) The driver of a vehicle approaching but not having entered an intersection, shall yield the right of way to a vehicle within such intersection or turning therein to the left across the line of travel of such first-mentioned vehicle, provided the driver of the vehicle turning left has given a plainly visible signal of intention to turn as required in this Act.
(c) The driver of any vehicle upon a highway within a business or residential district shall yield the right of way to a pedestrian crossing such highway within a crosswalk, except at intersections where the movement of traffic is being regulated by a peace officer or by traffic signal. Every pedestrian crossing a highway within a business or residential district, at any point other than a crosswalk shall yield the right of way to vehicles upon the highway.
(d) The driver of a vehicle upon a highway shall bring to a full stop such vehicle before traversing any "through highway" or railroad crossing: Provided, That when it is apparent that no hazard exists, the vehicle may be slowed down to five miles per hour instead of bringing it to a full stop.
2. Those who have MC or other vehicles are kings of the road - mayabang and will regard other entities on the road as piece of meat, a future road kill.
3. Traffic enforcement - If the traffic enforcers stop the vehicles at pedestrian lane, issue tickets, and or send those who violate the traffic law should be sent on seminars The trouble is in the said law, while there are penalties, (and which are very light and addressed to the timeline of the passage of the law the 1960s) there are no penalties for the violation of section 42 c of the said law. No wonder the traffic enforcers are helpless to enforce a tooth less spineless law. No wonder majority of motorists ignore the pedestrian lane crossing since they are unenforceable anyway, and so too pedestrians, (anyway the motor vehicles will just ram them at the pedestrian lane) So buwis buhay na lang anywhere it is convenient)
What can be done?
Pedestrian injury and human behavior
Wala namang penalties. A big oversight; a spineless, toothless provision? The law must be amended
Daily buwis buhay for commuters and pedestrians. Humans are bipeds.
Araw araw buhay ng pedestrians nasa peligro
