EDITORIAL — The cost of negligence

As of early evening yesterday, the death toll from a vehicular collision in Cotabato stood at 17, with four others needing hospitalization for injuries and severe burns.

The accident occurred in the afternoon along a steep, winding road in Barangay Luhong in Antipas town. Police said the brakes of one of the vehicles reportedly malfunctioned and the driver lost control of the wheel. In this case, it was a dump truck loaded with gravel that was going down the road when the brakes malfunctioned. The truck smashed into a utility van going in the opposite direction.

Both vehicles rolled over from the force of the impact. The van burst into flames as it landed in a ditch, while the dump truck also caught fire as it skidded to a halt several meters away.

All over the country, such accidents have become depressingly common, with similar circumstances: a vehicle loses its brakes while negotiating a bend along winding, sloping terrain. Sometimes the wayward vehicle collides with another; sometimes it falls off a cliff, sending passengers and driver to their death.

Considering how often such accidents occur across the country, you’d think people would know enough to have their vehicles checked regularly for roadworthiness, especially the brakes. Such maintenance checks are imperative particularly for vehicles that transport passengers and heavy cargo like gravel.

As the latest accident has shown, the cost of scrimping on regular maintenance services can be steep: the loss not only of the poorly maintained vehicle, but also death and injury. It can mean the loss of a franchise or permit to operate a mass transport or cargo business. People are supposed to have the good sense to ensure the roadworthiness of their vehicles. Negligence in this regard has often meant the loss of lives.