Davao City's Speed Limit law yields more than two thousand violators

DAVAO CITY, Feb 17 (PIA) An official of the Land Transportation Office in Davao Region reported the apprehension of 2,217 drivers in the city for violating Executive Order No. 39, an order setting the speed limit of all vehicles within the territory of Davao City.

Speaking at the Kapehansa SM City,  Macario Gonzaga, assistant regional director of the LTO 11 said these drivers were held for over speeding and were cited for reckless driving.

He observed the implementation of the local order limiting the speed of vehicles led to the reduction of vehicular accidents in the city in the past three months.

“This only shows that stringent local measures in the law enforcement can be effective tools to advance the objective of peaceful and safe communities,” Gonzaga said.

Mayor Rodrigo Duterte said that Executive Order No. 39, the local government policy tempering the speed of all land transportation within the city must stay since it is generally for public safety.

He said the speed limit has benefitted more the pedestrians from fast running vehicles.

Duterte was unperturbed with the complaint that the speed limit has caused tardiness among workers in reporting for work and the reduction of income among taxi drivers.

“The speed limit will stay to save lives,” he pointed out.

Duterte said vehicles running at a slow speed will surely stop once the brakes are applied.

He said accidents that make lives cheap is no longer acceptable.   

The Traffic Group of the Davao City Police Office attributed the reduction of vehicular accidents in the city at nine to ten percent following the implementation of the speed limit order.

Superintendent RhodelioPoliaquit, chief of the Traffic Group said three deaths per month due to vehicular accidents were reported several months before the speed limit implementation.

He said the Traffic Group apprehended initially a total of 200 motorists for violating the speed limit order since November.

Poliquit said traffic enforcers were armed with the corresponding speed guns to ensure the basis in apprehending violators. (PIA 11-Joey Sem G. Dalumpines)