PNP calls on LTO for tougher driving license requirements in PH

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MANILA, Philippines – With human error as the leading cause of vehicular road accidents over the last three years, the Philippine National Police (PNP) is compelling the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to raise the standards in the qualification process for obtaining a drivers’ license.

The PNP Highway Patrol Group said in its report during the recently concluded Road Safety Forum 2014 that nearly75 percent of vehicular accidents from 2011 to 2013 were due to driver’s error; with the most commonly reported errors being speeding, wrong overtaking and wrong turn.

“Since 75 percent of vehicular accidents were caused by driver’s error, it is a must to improve the qualification standard of drivers,” PNP HPG Central Luzon Director Police Senior Superintendent Sheldon Jacaban stated in the course of his speech.

Jacaban expounded that drivers of public utility vehicles applying for a license in the professional category should have at least graduated from high school and have taken a course in PUV driver’s training at an accredited learning institution.

“Permanent cancellation of LTO Driver’s License should be imposed to those who blatantly and continuously violate traffic laws that endanger the lives of others regardless of any violation,” he added.

A total of 14,755 vehicular accidents were recorded nationwide for the year 2011, as recorded in PNP HPG data. This figure decreased by 40 percent in 2012, but increased by 24 percent in 2013, for a new total of 12,875 accidents.

Jacaban admitted, though, that data statistics on vehicular road accidents, as acquired from the PNP HPG, may not be very accurate, due to limitations.

“PNP HPG statistics may not be accurate because we are collecting our data from the local police stations and other traffic law enforcement agencies and collating it manually,” he explained.