60 kph speed limit enforcement in major roads must be strictly implemented to prevent deadly accidents and protect public safety, according to Senate Majority Leader Francis “TOL” Tolentino.
Tolentino made the statement in the aftermath of a tragic vehicular accident along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City that claimed the lives of two passengers and injured sixteen others.
He recalled that the 60 kilometer-per-hour speed limit rule along Commonwealth Avenue was introduced in 2011 during his tenure as Chairman of the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA), and has since been applied to other major thoroughfares.
“Commonwealth has been called the ‘killer highway’ due to the high number of accidents and fatalities there. To address this, we imposed the 60 kph speed limit during my term as MMDA Chairman,” Tolentino shared.
Initial police reports and footage from nearby CCTV cameras revealed that the passenger jeepney involved in the incident was moving at high speed before it lost control and hit two other vehicles.
“The 60 kph speed limit remains relevant today as it did when we first introduced it 14 years ago,” Tolentino recalled.
“Rules exist to ensure traffic order and public safety. On the other hand, it is the responsibility of drivers and motorists to observe discipline and road courtesy,” he underscored.
Tolentino, both as MMDA Chair and now as a senator, has consistently championed smart and sustainable traffic solutions to reduce congestion and improve safety.
Over the weekend, he launched a smart traffic light signaling system in Kalibo, Aklan, with similar systems already implemented in Dumaguete (Negros Oriental), Naga (Camarines Sur), GMA (Cavite), San Pablo and Calamba (Laguna), and Roxas (Capiz).