LTO, DOTr: Lack of Manpower and Equipment Make Catching Over-Speeding Drivers “Challenging”

Which traffic violation has the most number of reported incidents last year? According to the Department of Transportation (DOTr), of the the 11,000 vehicular collisions reported last year, 80 percent of the accidents are attributed to ‘overspeeding’ or driving over the speed limit.

It’s for this reason that the DOTr, together with the Land Transportation Department (LTO), and a non-government organization, Imagine Law, have signed an agreement to discuss and implement the proper speed limit for drivers on the road. They also plan to organize all data related to speed driving incidents

“We often know from experience that there is hardly any speed limit enforcement happening in the country right now, save for a few LGUs” according to Atty. Sophia San Luis, a spokesman for Imagine Law said during the meeting.

LTO: “It’s a challenge”

LTO admitted that it’s challenging to spot–and apprehend–speed limit violators in the country due to lack of enforcers.

“Ang gingawa natin eh, halimbawa, ngayong gabi, dito, bukas naman sa ibang gabi sa iba naman. Hindi tayo naginging consistent tuloy na dapat nating binabantayan (What we do is, for example, tonight, the enforcers will man this road, the next night, they’ll be on a different post. We’re not being consistent in always manning roads),” explained Assistant Secretary for LTO, Ed Galvante, in an ABS-CBN interview.

Another reason why it’s hard to implement speed limit rules is lack of equipment.

“Speed gun ang sabi ko kanina, wala kami nyan. Kaya naghahanap na kami ng mas mura kasi veyr limited ang pondo namin (Speed gun, as I’ve said earlier–we don’t have that. That’s why we’re looking for cheaper ones because we have very limited funds),” he added.

LGU to the rescue?

One alternative solution that the LTO plans to do is ask the help of local government units (LGUs). This move is supported by the Department of Interior and Local Goverment (DILG). They are planning to issue a memorandum asking LGUs to cooperate with LTO in matters of speed limit enforcement.

“We will support DOTr. We’ll direct the LGUs to comply. I’ll look into the facts and issue a corresponding memorandum circular,” said DILG Secretary Eduardo Ano in a released statement to ABS-CBN.