Always check your vehicles first before travelling - DOH

By Carlito C. Dar

Tuesday 15th of May 2012

BAGUIO CITY, May 15 (PIA) -- Department of Health - Center for Health and Development Cordillera (DOH-CHD-CAR) reminds the public to always check their vehicles first to ensure road safety while traveling, especially with many people still going on trips or outings two weeks before classes start this June.

Engr. Gaudencio Tiwing of DOH-CAR, in a kapihan forum last week, emphasized that ensuring road safety begins with checking their vehicles of the basics, embodied in the acronym BLOWBAGS, which stands for Brakes, Lights, Oil, Water, Battery, Air, Gasoline, and Self (which refer to the driver’s condition to drive).

He also reminded motorists to always follow traffic rules, maintain road discipline, and keep their patience while driving.

Tiwing also discussed road safety here in the region. Based on the National Electronic Surveillance System, road accidents decreased from January to May of this year where there were 15 vehicular accidents recorded with 10 deaths and 155 injured, compared with the 22 vehicular accidents recorded during the same period in 2011, which resulted to 18 deaths and 100 people injured.

He reported that majority of the road accidents here in the region happen on the entry roads/highways leading to Baguio such as Kennon Road, Marcos Highway, and Naguilian. Thus, he reiterated the importance of ensuring that vehicles be fit for long travels and ready to take on any road condition.

Tiwing said most of the accidents were due to loose brakes and human error, though he also affirmed that none of the accidents involved drunk drivers.

This month of May is also observed as Road Safety Month. (JDP/CCD-PIA CAR)