The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority was alarmed by the number of vehicular accidents involving EDSA concrete barriers, MMDA General Manager Jojo Garcia said.
MMDA said it is coordinating with other government agencies to intensify traffic rules and regulations enforcement in EDSA, especially those which are common causes of accidents.
“It is high time that we reaffirm our commitment to improve road safety and push collaborative efforts on how to discipline erring motorists and drivers,” Garcia said.
The MMDA teamed up with the Philippine National Police – Highway Patrol Group, Department of Transportation, Land Transportation Office, and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board for the enforcement.
According to MMDA, authorities from the concerned government agencies agreed to:
- intensify anti-drunk driving and anti-distracted driving operations in Metro Manila
- suspend/revoke /cancel the driver’s license of drivers with multiple traffic violations, under the law
- filing of cases against violators of RA 10913 or the Anti-Distracted Driving Act
- impose stiffer penalties to drivers involved in accidents with damage to government properties or at least filing of charges
- set up strategic checkpoints during curfew hours
- conduct random breath analyzer tests on drivers
- more active dialogues
Accidents caused by EDSA concrete barriers alarm MMDA
MMDA reported that at least 31,811 accidents occurred in Metro Manila from January to August, according to the Road Crash Statistics. Of this number, 136 died while 6,614 are non-fatal, and 25,061 incurred damage to property.
The agency also reported at least 618 accidents on EDSA this year, 105 of which were due to the EDSA concrete barriers wherein at least 509 resulted in damage to property, MMDA said.
“Common causes of barrier-related accidents are driving under the influence of alcohol, physical fatigue, over-speeding, distracted driving, unauthorized use of accessories, and vehicle road-worthiness issues,” MMDA said.
Last month, MMDA replaced the concrete barriers in EDSA with steel bollards near Shaw Boulevard in Mandaluyong.
According to Celine Pialago, the spokesperson for the MMDA, the bollards would serve as additional barriers along the EDSA Busway.
Motorists blamed the EDSA concrete barriers as the cause of recent accidents.
Pialago, however, said the accidents were “100 percent the fault of drivers” and that the barriers would remain in place.