3 KILLED. Last night's road mishap involving five vehicles claimed the lives of three, two of whose lifeless bodies are seen in this foto taken buy the Chronicle few minutes after the road accident almost 7 last night at km. 3 of the national highway in Dao, this city. The accident involves a 10-wheeler truck, a multicab, two motorcycles and a Mitsubishi Pajero. Foto WILLY MAESTRADO

A high figure of 97 persons were killed last year in various road accidents which alarm traffic authorities, not just in this growing city but in the municipalities as well. Meanwhile, the latest road smash-up last night claimed the lives of three motorists while two were injured after five vehicles collided along the national highway in barangay Dao, this city. The accident involved a 10-wheeler truck, a pick-up type multicab, two motorcycles and a Mitsubishi Pajero. Both drivers of the two motorcycles died on the spot as the 10-wheeler truck, driven by

Putong's wife, Desideria, also hit by the truck, was rushed to the Gov. Celestino Gallares Regional Hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival.

Police said that the multicab, driven by one Saturnino Darunday, followed by the two motorcycles and the Mitsubishi Pajero, driven by one Virgil Tabingo, were going on the same direction when the 10-wheeler truck bound for the city proper veered towards their lane.

According to police, the area where the accident happened is badly lit while there are no road warning signs.

ROAD MISHAPS

PNP Bohol Director SSupt. Edgardo Ingking said during the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) meeting Thursday that the province had about 1,626 road mishaps as recorded from January to December last year.

The most alarming of all, 1,461 of the 1,626 incidents, are motorcycle accidents, owning the recorded 97 deaths all of which involved motorists without crash helmets.

According to the data presented by Ingking, an average of 4 motorcycle accidents occur every day or about 122 per month.

Last year, some 1,063 persons were injured due to motorcycle mishaps while police records showed a total of 1,408 motorists not wearing helmets.

An analysis of the data presented by Ingking revealed that the mortality rate of motorists not wearing helmets is 100% compared to the overall death rate caused by motorcycle accidents of 7%.

Of the 190 vehicular accidents (involving four wheeled vehicles), majority or about 86.8% were all caused by human error, Ingking said.

The police data analysis did not however specify the number of motorcycle accidents which were caused by reckless driving and undisciplined motorists, which observers speculate owns a big percentage of the number of deaths.

During the PPOC meeting, Ingking likewise said that aside from human error, accident survivors also blame road defects and vehicle defects as causes of accidents.

Road defects make up to about 11.05% of the accident cases while vehicle defects only account 2.1%, Ingking bared. Road defects, the PPOC pointed out poorly lit highways and non-existent signages and warning devices.

At the PPOC meeting, the need to install road safety measures also cropped up while highlighting the faulty driving practices of motorists.

The PPOC adopted a resolution requesting the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), through Sec. Hermogenes Ebdane, to install proper signages at road sections identified by Bohol's district engineers as accident prone.

The PPOC also took on the alarming fatalities brought about by road accidents here as a bad picture of a tourism-engaged province.

As to addressing the human error aspect, Ingking said there is a need for every driver to abide by the Traffic code.

Moreover, he called on drivers to exercise road courtesy while urging for a reinvigorated campaign on the use of crash helmets for motorists to reduce fatalities.