Good Afternoon! Thank you for having me, Id like to start by saying that most road acidents in the Philippines are not adequately investigated,
1. Government consistently report that 80% of road crashes are due to human error: like
· reckless driving, ignoring traffic rules
· aggressive driving,poor judgment
· overspeeding which isstrongly linked to fatal crashes
· distracted driving (cell phone, women/men visitirs,
· alcohol/drugs use: esp during holidays: poor lighting , potholes. Unclear or no signages
· road / infrastructure issues: no signages, unsafe and unguarded excavations
· Lack of knowledge. Skills, and on safety
But human error is Incomplete. Often it hides other failures.
2. During the 2025 accidents, I made a survey and these were my observations
· Absence of formal accident investigation
· No vehicle condition assessment
· Reliance mainly on traffic reports
· A structural failure in road safety governance
· Poor vehicle maintenance:Vehicle mechanical failure.
License and a registration do not guarantee safety on the road.
3. Why this matters to ordinary Filipinos who ride: public transport, motorcycles, bicycles, pedestrians, workers communing daily. What Needs to be changed
a. Proper accident investigation, not just police reports
b. Mandatory vehicle inspection after serious crashes
c. Use findings for prevention, not blame
d. Every crash should teach us how to prevent he next one
e. Road accidents are not fate. They are preventable when we look at the whole system made up of laws, sanctions, implementation, vehicles, drivers, roads, community- are all part of the system.
4. A Bill creating a National Road Crash Investigation Board (NRCIB) should be created, attached to DOTR.