Road safety advocacy
For LTO 12, road safety is a shared responsibility. Obelidhon said LTO is taking the lead in driving the message of safety to all stakeholders.
From January to September 2023, LTO 12 conducted 37 road safety advocacy (RSA) seminars, lectures, and symposiums in different provinces, cities, and municipalities in the region.
Obelidhon said most of these RSA activities have been done in the barangays to further reinforce road safety messages to all stakeholders.
“RSA is a regular program of LTO because of the alarming report of the World Health Organization (WHO). According to the WHO, road crashes are not ordinary incidents. It is now considered a health problem because of the number of fatalities, injuries, and damage to property,” he stressed.
The official reminded motorists to always observe road safety precautions and practice defensive driving to minimize road accidents.
Enforcement Activities
LTO 12 has also intensified its enforcement activities through a series of proactive operations. The agency is sending a strong message that traffic rules and regulations must be followed to maintain order and prevent accidents.
“We have a record from our IT provider on the number of motor vehicles that are not renewed. Marami na ang hindi renewed, and we think that another way to solve this problem is to intensify the law enforcement activities of LTO,” Obelidhon explained.
“You can see during operations, ang haba-haba ng pila ng mga sasakyan. Meaning, yung mga saasakyan na nakapark on the side of the road, walang papeles ‘yun or any violations,” he added.
According to Obelidhon, LTO 12 currently has 25 enforcers, and the management is looking for possible ways to add more to help in the operations.
“RD Tomawis is planning for every district to have its own law enforcement personnel to intensify the program,” the official said.
To avoid fines and penalties, LTO advised motorists to make sure to always have their driver’s license, register their vehicles, have their vehicles checked regularly, and make sure all parts are working properly.
LTO advised that motorists should consistently check their “BLOWBAGETS” (brakes, light, oil, water, batteries, air, gas, engine, tires, and self), a must-have habit for all, before using their vehicles. (ORVR -- PIA Region 12)