By Bobby Q. Labalan
SORSOGON CITY, Sept. 11 (PNA) — Fatal vehicular accidents in Bicol Region rose by 32.5 percent last year compared to that in 2013, which also set off a 31-percent hike in the number of individuals killed for the same period, the Philippine National Police Bicol regional office reported Friday.
The total number of fatal accidents in 2013 hit 222, which rose to 329 last year, while the number of persons killed was 242 in 2013 and climbed to 351 the following year.
Senior Supt. Marlon Tejada, chief of the investigation division of the Bicol Regional Police Office, said the total number of vehicular accidents in the region rose by 22.55 percent from 9,610 in 2013 to 12,408 last year.
In 2013, Albay topped the list in vehicular accident occurrences, with 3,329; followed by Camarines Sur, with 2,886; Naga City, 1,575; Masbate, 663; Sorsogon, 587; Camarines Norte, 425, and Catanduanes, 145.
But last year, Camarines Sur registered the most number of vehicular accidents, with 3,786; followed by Albay, 3,290; Naga City, 2,450; Camarines Norte, 1,195; Sorsogon, 701; Masbate, 632, and Catanduanes, 354.
Tejada said most of the accidents were primarily due to driver’s error while the other most common causes of road accidents were drunk-driving, overspeeding, mechanical defect, erroneous overtaking, overloading and road defect.
There were 768 cases of hit-and-run accidents registered last year, he added.
Earlier, in his 2014 annual crime report to the Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC), Chief Supt. Victor Deona, the former Bicol police director, said vehicular accidents in the region had become alarming as he noted a constant increase in its figures.
Deona then noted that vehicular accidents accounted for a big part of homicide cases in Bicol.
The former Bicol police chief attributed the rise in vehicular crashes to the proliferation of motorcycles, which have become too easy to obtain.
He noted that motorcycles have become too common such that anyone can now drive such vehicle, even those who have not undergone proper driving lesson.
Local police authorities in the province of Sorsogon noted a sudden spike in vehicular accidents in its jurisdiction which they attribute to the on-going road constructions along the Maharlika Highway.
PNP officials said contractors of road repairs have not installed proper warning signs and proper lighting as well near construction areas, which rendered the highway too dangerous for motorists, especially in the evening.
Police authorities have called on the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to look into the situation before more serious accidents occur.
Motorists have been lambasting the DPWH for allowing such willful negligence by the contractors but the agency has remained unmoved. (PNA)