It should go without saying that drivers should always take care when crossing train tracks. Always stop, look, and listen when you’re confronted with a rail line. Common sense right? Sadly, as they say, common sense isn’t so common.
Since the potential of a speeding train plowing into their vehicle seemingly hasn’t deterred some motorists from running straight through railroad crossings (and the warning signs that preceed them), the Department of Transportation (DOTr) has instructed the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to slap such drivers with sanctions.
“Through an enforcement system, violators cannot just get away with their misbehavior. We will be able to determine those who deliberately and habitually disobey our traffic rules on rail lines,” DOTr undersecretary for road transport and infrastructure Mark De Leon said in a statement.
“Aside from the safety of the public, we also need to protect our rail infrastructure given the high capital cost of these systems,” he added.
The Republic Act No. 4136, also known as the Land Transportation and Traffic Code stipulates that drivers faced with railroad lines are required to come to a full stop before crossing.
LTO assistant secretary Edgar Galvante assured the DOTr that an enforcement mechanism will be put in place: “We will work closely with the DOTr and PNR on the establishment of preventive measures to ensure the safety of the public, and inculcate discipline among drivers.”
How do you think the LTO will go about this? Will the agency place CCTV cameras to monitor railroad crossings? If you have any suggestions, let us know in the comments.
