Lawmaker wants driver education to start in school

Driver Education Bill aims to make basic road rules and etiquette part of school curriculum

We all share the roads, whether you are a driver or pedestrians. We all have places to go to, things to do, and people to see. We walk, run, bike, and drive, which means we all use the road. It’s a sad fact that some of us are not familiar with road safety signs, don't know road courtesy, or what to do during road emergencies, and that includes pedestrians. 

Congressman Hon. Faustino Michael T. Dy III wants better road education for all with his proposed house bill number 697 aka the Driver Education Act. 

It proposes a program where basic drivers education will be taught starting from high school in private and public schools; it will also include road safety and etiquette, which has been lost to older drivers. As a parent and having my eldest son over the verge of applying for his license to drive, it is important that these ideas be instilled to create an awareness at an early age.  

The Department of Education (DepEd) and the Land Transportation Office (LTO) will be the ones tasked to put together the program and implement it. A 5-year review provision has also been added, to see if a revision is necessary so the curriculum stays relevant. 

The house bill defines what needs to be done so both drivers and pedestrians are aware of rules of road rules and regulations to avoid accidents or worse, fatalities. 

Now that the new driver applicants are required to learn about road rules and etiquette, the rest of us should also catch up. We agree with the Congressman, everyone should be doing their part to keep our roads safe.