More than 49,500 traffic violators arrested in Baguio
Combined police officers and traffic enforcers apprehended more than 49,500 traffic violators in the city from January 1 to August 16, 2022, a traffic officer said here recently.
Police Lt. Col. Roldan Cabatan, chief of the Baguio City Police Office–Traffic Enforcement Unit (BCPO-TEU), stated that the recorded number of apprehended traffic violators is considered as high that reflects the probable lack of discipline among motorists that resulted to their being apprehended and fined for their traffic violations.
He disclosed that these traffic violators contributed some P21.6 million in fines to the coffers of the local government during the said period.
The police official projected that fines that will be paid by apprehended traffic violators might reach P35 million by the end of the year if the trend of the number of apprehensions will continue in the coming months.
However, Cabatan pointed out that law enforcers and traffic enforcers are not happy apprehending traffic violators because of the delays experienced by motorists in trying to settle their fines and redeem their confiscated license plate numbers from the BCPO.
The BCPO traffic officer advised motorists to simply observe the prevailing traffic rules and regulations and the installed signages along the roads in the city to avoid being apprehend for their violations and to ensure the smooth flow of traffic even during the influx of visitors during weekends.
According to him, what matters is the discipline of motorists to prevent them from being apprehended for violations and to ensure they will enjoy their travel to their desired destinations around the city.
Cabatan stipulated that they do not want to be apprehending motorists for traffic violations because they understand their predicament but what is ironic is that there are really motorists who blatantly violate traffic rules and regulations that compel police officers and traffic enforcers to issue them the traffic citation tickets for their violations.
He underscored that the cooperation of the motorists and pedestrians to traffic schemes, rules and regulations will greatly help in significantly reducing the monstrous traffic congestions around the city.
He stipulated the city government and the local police force will continue to work on the implementation of appropriate traffic schemes that will help in reducing the congestions being experienced by motorists, especially when there is an influx of visitors during weekends, to mitigate the effect of the significant increase in the volume of vehicles in the city that cause the congestions.
He assured the residents and visitors alike that traffic enforcers are always doing their best to address the prevailing congestions along major city roads but the same must be complimented by the cooperation of motorists for the benefit of everyone wanting to have a smooth traffic flow around the city. – Dexter A. See