THE Bacolod City Council has approved a resolution requesting for the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Bacolod Traffic Authority (BTAO) through the Office of Mayor Monico Puentevella to put traffic safety signs or early warning devices along all pedestrian lanes near schools.
The resolution, proposed by Councilor Caesar Distrito, said it is the thrust of the City Government to ensure the safety of its constituents particularly the students.
The resolution stated that several pedestrian lanes near schools do not have safety signages or early warning devices that will alert motorists that they are approaching or they are within a school zone.
The resolution added that although some signs are found in these areas, these are already dilapidated and are no longer visible.
A few weeks earlier, a grade 4 pupil of University of St. La Salle-Integrated School was killed after he was run over by a vehicle in front of the school.
“It is very necessary to put up safety signs or early warning devices in these areas to prevent the occurrence of such accidents and also to protect the lives and properties of our constituent,” the resolution added.
The SP also approved another resolution authored by Distrito requesting the BTAO through the Office of the City Mayor to strictly enforce the maximum allowable speed in school zones as provided in Section 35 of Republic Act 4136 or the Land Transportation and Traffic Code of the Philippines.
Section 35 of Republic Act 4136 specifically provides that the maximum allowable speed of all vehicles in passing school zones is only 20 kilometers per hour.
However, it has been observed that several motorists passing in school zones do not observe the allowable speed. (CNC)