Traffic woes

Did you know that there are a lot of motorists, especially drivers of public utility vehicles, who are unable to interpret traffic signs? This was the finding of a random survey conducted by CNN Philippines during the TV program “The Service Road.”

I find it alarming that a number of our drivers are unable to comprehend what I perceive to be a very important prerequisite in order to get a driver’s license.

If this is the case, I suggest we incorporate traffic rules and regulations in our curriculum in order to prepare our students who will eventually be driving on our streets. It is sad to note that we often see minors driving motorcycles and I bet my life these kids do not have the proper licenses.

Traffic signs are supposed to be universal and yet there are agencies in the government that would prefer to do it their way and tell a long story instead of using a simple universal traffic sign. There were even instances that a motorist failed to see a “No Right Turn” sign simply because the sign was posted on the left side of the road. According to the motorist who got a ticket, he did not see the sign because when he reached the corner there was a big truck that blocked the sign. Question: Why should a “No Right Turn” sign be posted on the left side of the road?

The traffic situation must be very bad to warrant a senatorial hearing. President Rodrigo Duterte earlier made a request to have emergency powers in order to improve our transportation system and to solve the heavy traffic being experienced by our motorists on a daily basis.

Local government officials should get involved in this development since the Department of Public Works and Highways is spending a lot of people’s taxes in road widening and providing sidewalks for our pedestrians.

What is actually happening is that motorists and pedestrians do not benefit from the widening and use of the sidewalks respectively, since vehicles are allowed to park on highways and sidewalk vendors are tolerated to usurp the sidewalks.

I remember a visit once to the office of the mayor of Liloan regarding the terrible traffic situation in Yati, Liloan. Up to this writing, the situation has not improved. What can be worse than school children who are compelled to walk on the streets and risk getting involved in some vehicular accident because the sidewalk is occupied by vendors?