Killers on the road

It will be a sorrowful Christmas for the families of six persons, including an infant and a two-yearold girl. The six died last Saturday night when a truck carrying construction materials careened out of control, hitting 19 vehicles parked by the roadside in Santa Rosa, Laguna before smashing into a bakery and an apartment.

As of yesterday, the truck driver, Anthony Bernardo of La Fortuna Hauling Services, remained at large. Initial investigation, however, indicated that the truck brakes malfunctioned, so the driver may not be entirely to blame.

Such mechanical problems are common all over the country, as owners of trucks, delivery vans and mass transportation vehicles such as buses and jeepneys scrimp on expenses for the proper maintenance of their vehicles. One consequence is the frequency of road accidents, with the loss of brakes among the most common causes of vehicles hurtling off cliffs or, as in the latest case, smashing into roadside dwellings and parked vehicles. Apart from damage to property, the accidents have caused the deaths of scores of people.

Human error also cannot be discounted. Drivers of delivery trucks and public conveyances have been reported to take drugs to stay awake for long trips, and to wait in line for hours and even days to drop off empty shipping containers at the Port of Manila.

Drug testing was imposed as a requirement for obtaining a driver’s license. But drivers learned to suspend drug intake and clear their bloodstream of prohibited drugs before undertaking the test. Random drug tests could be more effective.

There are rules that could encourage proper maintenance of vehicles, especially those used for delivery and public conveyance. For example, rules governing tailpipe emissions, as provided under the Clean Air Act, can promote regular vehicle maintenance. What is lacking, as in the many other laws in this country, is proper enforcement. This includes the failure to hold operators of trucks and public utility vehicles accountable for negligence in keeping their vehicles roadworthy.

These weaknesses have led to countless deaths in road accidents. The loss of six lives in Santa Rosa, Laguna should lead to long overdue reforms.