THE Police Regional Office (PRO) in Northern Mindanao is alarmed with the increase in the number of vehicular accidents monitored during the holiday season.

PRO-Northern Mindanao spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Mardy Hortillosa said half of the total crime volume from November 15, 2019 to January 5, 2020 were road accidents.

During this period, some 859 crime incidents were recorded in the region, but 470 of these are road accidents. This figure has also doubled compared to the December 15, 2018-January 5, 2019 period where out of the total crime incidents, 348 were motor vehicle accidents.

The accidents recorded are even higher than the common crimes or the index and the non-index crimes with a total of 389.

"We want the public to be aware about this data so that they will be more careful this year when we reach the holidays. Dili man gyud maiwasan nga sa Christmas daghan parties, daghan pud inom. So we remind them to drink moderately and kung mag-drive gyud, dili nalang moinom," Hortillosa said.

Because of this data, Hortillosa said PRO-Northern Mindanao Director Rolando Anduyan is planning to create a traffic unit to try and address this problem.