Motor accidents declining, 

Lesser injuries, casualties 

TAGBILARAN CITY, June 6 (PIA)—Although motor vehicle accidents are still high, authorities are seeing hope as there is already a trending decline in accidents, in injuries and in deaths from these accidents, thanks to tightened traffic policies in wearing of helmets and road checkpoints. 

Alarmed by the rising cases of traffic related accidents and the unnecessary loss of lives caused by these, Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) officials have sought help from the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to implement strategies to curb vehicular accidents. 

Traffic accidents, although not really the kind of crimes that indicate a breakdown of law and order, are still listed among the crimes in a locality and could be misinterpreted as a deterrent for investors. 

To get to the issue, Bohol police through PSSupt. Angeles Genorga implemented Oplan Sita, while strictly deploying cops in the streets and enhancing police visibility, since January. 

Oplan Sita is the police anti-crime drive where they put up of checkpoints in strategic areas especially in high traffic volume areas to check on the mandatory policy on wearing of motorcycle helmets, unregistered motorcycles and vehicles, modified vehicles that pose danger to others and unlicensed drivers, Camp Dagohoy officials explained. 

Concurrent with the Oplan Sita is the conduct of simultaneous anti-crime law enforcement operations in all police stations across Bohol, done especially during the times when crimes peak. 

The results are now becoming evident, points a police crime statistician who pointed out that the monthly average of motorcycle accidents in Bohol from January to April is 179.75 cases a month. 

In fact, figures showed by PSSupt Genorga during the recent Provincial Peace and Order Council Meeting (PPOC) held at the Governor’s Mansion depict the cases of motorcycle accidents decreasing. 

In January, total motorcycle accidents reached 179 cases, which slipped a bit in February to 170, Camp Dagohoy chief bared. 

By March, the total accidents by motorcycles zoomed to 197 cases while in April, the figure went down again to 173, Genorga added. 

While the accidents played between the 170 cases a month to 190 cases, or an average of 5 accidents per day, PPOC members were alarmed that the police had to step in and strictly implement the Oplan Sita. 

By the fiesta month when crime-watch authorities expected much worse, motorcycle accidents braked a bit to 142 cases. 

What is promising was that after the police went strict on wearing of helmets and keeping unlicensed, unregistered motorcycles, not only were traffic accidents decreased but those unharmed in these accidents, those injured and those killed also went down, Camp Dagohoy records showed. 

From January to April, when the average monthly motorcycle accidents went 179 cases, and average of 45 of the people involved were unhurt, 125 were total record of injuries and the monthly average of deaths caused by these were 8. 

This May 1-22, PSSupt Genorga said the average motorcycle accidents, is now down to 142. 

Of these cases, 110 were injured, 27 escaped unhurt and five died. 

Emergency responders and police crime investigators all agreed that wearing of helmets and keeping lesser motorcycles and more responsible drivers on the streets have paid off. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol) 

Bohol police chief PSSupt. Angeles Geñorga updated PPOC members led by Governor Edgar Chatto and Interior and Local Government Provincial Director Louella Lucino on the accomplishment of the Oplan Sita implemented to proactively curb traffic related incidents. Also in the picture is Provincial legal Officer Atty Mitchel John Boiser. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)