BAGUIO CITY – The Baguio City Police Office (BCPO) is turning its focus on young drivers, urging them to be role models of responsible and cautious driving as part of its intensified efforts to reduce vehicular traffic accidents (VTA.
BCPO director Col. Ruel Tagel said on Monday that lectures and awareness campaigns on road safety will be conducted in schools—starting with public institutions reopening on June 16, and extending to private schools once their classes begin.
“We urge young drivers to serve as examples by strictly following traffic rules and regulations,” Tagel said.
He emphasized that the youth, when properly informed, are more likely to comply with the law.
The BCPO is currently coordinating with universities and colleges to hold educational sessions on disciplined and respectful driving.
“Young drivers play a crucial role in promoting road safety not just for themselves, but for their families and the wider community,” he added.
He noted that there is a growing number of young motorists in the city, making their engagement vital in addressing the rising number of road accidents.
Aside from students, BCPO also plans to reach out to the city’s 128 barangays to offer the same lectures to interested residents.
In addition, regular social media postings on road safety tips aim to keep the public informed and vigilant.
The BCPO is also enforcing existing speed limit ordinances — 20 km. per hour (kph) within the central business district and 30 kph in other areas of the city — to curb the increasing number of VTAs.
From Jan. 1 to June 9, the city recorded 407 vehicular accidents with nine fatalities, a rise from the 346 incidents and three deaths recorded during the same period last year. **Liza Agoot
