De Lima bats for creation of Philippine Road Safety Institute

(Eagle News)–Detained Senator Leila de Lima has proposed the creation of a “specialized institute” that would  “conduct empirical-based research, planning and development of road safety programs across the country.”

In filing Senate Bill (SB) No. 1897 for the establishment of the Philippine Road Safety Institute (PRSI), De Lima noted that road safety was “a problem in the country, especially in highly-urbanized areas.”

Under the measure, she said the PRSI would “regularly collect data pertinent to road safety, develop road safety policy framework, recommend legislation and promulgation of necessary rules and standards to be adopted by government agencies, and develop road safety annual reports and related study, among others.”

It said the PRSI would be attached to the University of the Philippines National Center for Transport Studies.

“(Road safety) is considered a public health issue, having contributed significantly to the mortality rate,” she said.