The Filipinos on Pedestrian Lanes Hugot

By Ysrael Donnie Villondo

Pedestrian lanes are designed for people crossing in a vehicular traffic roads to ensure safe travel from one lane to another. Most of these lanes are found at intersections and busy roads that are too unsafe to cross like schools. In the Philippines, pedestrian lanes are often taken for granted by the passers and the drivers themselves amidst provision of a Presidential Decree. Deaths caused by crossing the lanes comprised 19% of the total road accident rate in the Philippines. The reasons behind these accidents are the least to expect.

In Cagayan de Oro City, it was new to almost everyone the strict implementation of anti-jaywalking along Divisoria since 2013. Pedestrian lanes are emphasized and the yellow boxes are visible to the drivers. Tourists were amazed that the city has finally seen the importance of this provision to the Kagay-anons. Since the heart of the city – Divisoria, is almost filled with students from nearby institutions, vendors, drivers, and people from different walks of life, lanes are of great importance towards ensuring safety upon crossing.

Amidst city ordinance, emphasis and visibility relating to these lanes, people are reluctant in using them. According to TopGear.com, people are allergic to pedestrian lanes and footbridges because it’s way too long for just one straight cross over. Pedestrian lanes are partnered with traffic lights which causes delay for some. The switching of color forces them to wait. Moreover, a footbridge multiplies number of walks. Thus, allowing the passers to cross wherever they want to. They have failed to realize that there are serious sanctions for those who will be caught. Presidential Decree No. 1958, issued in 1984, amends the Land Transportation and Traffic Code of 1964, Chapter 5, Penal and other provisions, Article 1, Penalties, Section 56 fine violators, reckless drivers and jaywalkers will be charged P100 to P500 pesos or do community service for at least three hours when caught.

According to Rappler.com, 1,513 people have died due to road accidents, of which 287 (19%) people died due to crossing the pedestrian lane.  Motorcycles top the list for garnering 53 deaths. This was based on 2013 data from the Philippines’ Department of Public Works and Highway-Traffic Accident Recording and Analysis System. Topgear.com included texting while walking in their top 10 worst habits of Filipino pedestrians as the 2^nd reason of road accidents. A person crossing the lane while texting is vulnerable to accident. The lack of attention to vehicles coming and the focus to stop, look and listen before crossing set forth danger to pedestrians. It is therefore essential to set keep an eye when crossing.

Who is to blame if one person crossing the pedestrian lane while texting bumped by a vehicle? If drivers are expected to respect the lanes provided for pedestrians, it is therefore expected for the pedestrians to be responsible in accessing this grant. Pedestrian lanes are made not for walkers but also for the drivers. For walkers to have safe access when crossing roads and for drivers to keep their heads up when passing busy roads highly dominated by walkers.