DoTr launches road safety action plan to reduce traffic accidents

THE DEPARTMENT of Transportation (DoTr) is aiming to reduce road accident deaths by at least 35% by 2028 through strategies in the five-year Philippine Road Safety Action Plan (PRSAP) that was launched Wednesday.

The PRSAP 2023-2028 — which builds on the previous five-year plan that had an interim target of reducing road death rate by 20% — seeks to create a safer road environment with road safety management, safer roads, safer vehicles, safer road users, and postcrash response.

“For the interim target, the change to at least 35% reduction of road traffic deaths is in alignment with the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028,” Transport Secretary Jaime J. Bautista said at the launching event with the World Health Organization (WHO).

Road traffic deaths in the country increased by 39% to 11,096 deaths in 2021 from 7,938 in 2011.

Injuries from accidents were also the leading cause of death among Filipinos 15-29 years old.

Road traffic injuries cost about 2.6% of the country’s gross domestic product.

“Road traffic injuries are a major yet often neglected public health issue. Deaths and injuries from road crashes are preventable, and all sectors have a role to play in promoting road safety,” said WHO Representative to the Philippines Rui Paulo de Jesus. —