LTO: Travel safe during the holidays

Road safety is top priority during the holidays

After two years of limited travel and gatherings due to the pandemic, we are now back at the usual holiday rush. The streets are congested, malls are jam-packed and people are enjoying parties left and right with their colleagues and loved ones.

With all these parties, it is almost inevitable that people would consume alcohol, and drive/ ride afterward.

Because of this, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) reminds the public to travel safely during the holidays.

_{0.05% and above Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) is punishable under RA 10586}

LTO Chief Assistant Secretary, Atty. Jay Art Tugade said that regardless of the many activities of merriment common during the Yuletide season, people and motorists must always maintain discipline in the use of roads. Road safety is important, he said, to avoid road crashes and prevent injuries, damage to property, and worse, loss of lives.

“It’s been two years since the pandemic when we failed to celebrate the joys of the season by going to parties. Now that more people can again move to and from parties, it is still important to observe road safety when we travel, not only for ourselves but also for other road users,” said Tugade.

According to the Metro Manila Accident Reporting and Analysis System (MMARAS) report of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), there were around 57,179 road crashes already recorded this year, or an average rate of 156.65 cases per day, which is lower than last year’s 160.12 daily average.

Aside from having zero tolerance for corruption, Tugade wishes to achieve minimal casualties on the road this Christmas season, which is what the Philippine Road Safety Action Plan of the Department of Transportation, a roadmap for road safety interventions, aims to achieve.

“After two years of missing parties during the Yuletide season, there’s nothing better than to travel this season in the safest way possible to celebrate Christmas safely with our families and friends. Road crash incidents can be prevented so let’s all travel safely and be happy,” LTO Chief Tugade reiterated.

Drinking and riding don’t mix well

Being a bona fide driver’s license holder, it is already basic knowledge that consuming alcoholic drinks and driving a car or riding a motorcycle doesn’t mix well and often result in a very regrettable situation.

If caught by an authority that you are driving under the influence, the fines alone could easily rack up to PHP 500,000. Skeptic? You can read our feature story here about drunk driving.

If it can’t be helped and you have one too many alcoholic beverages during a party, here’s what we suggest you do:

1. Sleepover

Whatever the celebration is, if you're going to drink, don't ride your motorcycle. It is much better if you sleep it off at the celebrant’s or a friend's house until the next morning.

2. Ride a taxi

Unlike before, booking a taxi cab is easier these days, thanks to app-based booking services like Grab or Awto. So, don’t risk it, ride a taxi home and pick up your motorcycle when you’re sober. Much better, have a motorcycle towing service like WeBike or Bike Butler to safely bring you and your motorcycle home after a party.