Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION

The ever-increasing demand for goods and commodities brought

about by the rapid increase in population has spawned a phenomena:

the rapid increase of the number of means of transportation via land.

In Antique, especially in its capital town – San Jose de

Buenavista, the common mode of transportation is Tricycle.

Transporting goods and the populace to their different destinations

everyday.

Tricycle drivers form a significant number of the workplace of

San Jose. From a sociologist point of view, they are a good “object of

study” due to the fact that, aside for a privileged few who can afford to

have a privately-owned vehicle, majority of the populace in San Jose,

Antique commute everyday via public transport system. In, San Jose,

this means riding in tricycles.

At stake in this scenario are the lives of the commuters. In the

hands of “good” tricycle drivers, lives of their passengers are secure.

With “bad” driver, lives as in constant danger.

Background and Rationale of the study

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The respondents of the study are daily commuters themselves,

as such, they are also prone to vehicular accidents. In the hands of

“good” drivers they are assured continuity of their daily flow of

activities. One “mistake” and they could be plunged into uncertain

future.

Jeepney or bus drivers number only a few. They do not form a

significant group away those who are daily “kings of streets.” Tricycle

drivers are many-hence, it is easily assumed, they are the ones who

are daily “in-charge” of the commuters’ safety or demise.

Objectives of the study

This study aimed to determine the practices, violations and

awareness of traffic signs of tricycle drivers in San Jose, Antique for

calendar year 2009.

Specifically, this study sought answers to the following questions:

1. What is the profile of tricycle drivers in San Jose, Antique for CY

2009 in terms of gender, age, civil status, educational

attainment, license status, length of driving, and type of driver?

2. What are the practices and violations tricycle drivers in San Jose,

Antique for CY 2009 and what are their awareness of traffic

signs?
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3. What is the level of awareness of traffic signs of tricycle drivers

in San Jose, Antique for CY 2009?

Theoretical Framework
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Conceptual Framework
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The assumed relationship between the independent variables and the

dependent variables is diagramed below.

Independent
Dependent Variables
Variables

Age
Practices

Gender
Violations

Civil Status
Awareness of traffic

Educational Attainment
Signs

License Status

Length of Driving

Type of Driver
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Operational Definition of Variables and Other Terms

Chapter 2

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

The rapid increase of machineries and the mobility of your

society have exposed the individual and the community to the many

dangers associated with the operation of water vehicles.

Motor vehicle traffic accident occurs when motor vehicle in

motion on a public street or highway causes death, injury or property

damage. Although our society is full of law, ordinances and precautions

regarding proper decorum on streets, traffic accidents still occur every

day.
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In the forefront of this scenario are drivers, for no vehicle can

move around or for that matter, no accident may occur, if drivers are

not there to man these vehicles.

It is of no question that drivers themselves put extra conscious

effort towards their driving business. For aside from the fact that

driving is their livelihood, more important are their lives that are in

constant danger. One small move and either they land in hospitals or

cemeteries. Driving as an occupation, then, is a dangerous one, and

drivers, if they do not put extra effort towards road safety, are deemed

as “spent bullets.”

Always associated with driving are accidents. Collusion, travelling

off-course, and falling-off on cliffs are almost of daily occurrence.

Needless to say, all of these bring about disastrous consequences. Loss

of lives and damage to property are the most likely result.

Vehicular Accidents

Vehicular accidents – the occurrence of any unknown incidents

that happens when one is riding a vehicle – are of daily occurrences.

News reports, TV footages, and radio reports are almost always full of

reports on vehicular accidents. It seems as if it can almost be said that

driving a vehicle or riding one is almost “a trip towards one’s grave.”

Although one may make extra effort to make sure his actions

don’t result in a vehicular accident, oftentimes an accident will still

occur as a result of another’s negligence or carelessness. Many

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ordinances have been passed to reduce the number of accidents,

however, vehicular accidents continue to be the most common type of

accident in the Philippines, due largely to driver negligence and

disregard for traffic safety rules. In addition to everyday distraction

causing an accident such as road construction and weather, the

increased use of electronic devices by person while driving – cell

phones and iPods, – further increase the potential for accidents.

When an auto accident occurs, the first act taken would be to

determine the safety and injuries of all drivers and passengers. When

the driver is not seriously injured and the vehicle is able to be moved,

He/she should immediately move it out of traffic to a safe location on

the side of the road to avoid causing an additional collusion. If no

emergency medical treatment is needed, contact with the nearest local

police precinct and preparation of the accident report is the driver’s

immediate concern. The report should include detailed description

regarding the accident based on the actual experience of the driver.

Car Accidents

Oftentimes, car accident occurs as a result of a driver’s negligent or

careless behavior. Failure to properly follow traffic safety rules and use

reasonable care when driving a vehicle increases the potential for a

road injury to occur; however, contributing factors to an accidents may

also include: disregarding traffic signs and warnings, improperly

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trained driver, speeding, driving under the influence of drugs or

alcohol, tail gating, disregarding regular car maintenance and safety

checks, disregarding dangerous weather and road conditions.

Semi Truck Accidents

Semi truck accidents often occur for mistakes and negligence

committed by truck drivers. As our economy gets better and as our

country’s food producers and retailers continue to transport goods

using large scale trucking service, the potential for semi-truck

accidents may be substantially reduced by the drivers paying special

attention to their speed, unsafe road conditions, fatigue, necessary

truck maintenance, intoxication, equipment defects of malfunction,

improperly loaded or unbalanced cargo, inadequate and improper

signage.

Motorcycle Accidents

Riding a motorcycle can be very convenient and cost friendly,

especially while gas prices continue to rise across the nation; however,

the limited safety features of a motorcycle can present an extreme risk

to a driver. Although safety laws require motorist to watch for

motorcycles on the road, oftentimes they do not exercise proper

procedures, resulting in serious injuries, which include: broken bones,

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brain damage and head injuries; back, neck, and spinal chord injuries

including paralysis and road burn.

Safety Driving

Researches have shown the following to be the top five (5)

causes of accidents: Failure to yield right of way to other vehicle and

pedestrian, reckless overtaking, improper turning, following too close,

exceeding lawful speed limit. Corollary to this, the following are highly

recommended for drivers to obey about safety in driving: Beware of

drugs (medications) that can impair driving ability, frustration, anger

and anxiety increases the driver’s involvement in motor vehicle

carnage, turn lights on at dusk (don’t wait until dark), slow down at

intersection even if you don’t have the stop sign, do not squeeze in

front of a truck because it takes 18 wheeler twice as long to stop as a

car, always wear seatbelts, never ride with a baby in your lap, do not

drink and drive, look and listen carefully before driving over railroad

crossings (train needs 6000 feet or a mile to stop from an average

speed), always keep a safe distance (1 car length for every 10 kph),

pull off the road before taking care of any situation. (do not eat, put on

make-up, or use cell phone while driving)

Defensive Driving

Defensive driving is often defined as preventing crashes before

they occur, it is the demonstration of an attitude, awareness and

driving kills such as: stay alert and keep eyes moving so that you can
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keep track of what is happening at all times; look for trouble spots

developing around you; have plan of action if the other driver does the

wrong thing; and know the law requires drivers to protect each other

from their own mistakes. A defensive driver must: be able to keep a

safe driving record, have a positive attitude on road safety, be

physically and mentally fit to drive, have received proper training

before driving.

Factors that Affect Driving

Attitude, a defensive must develop and demonstrate an attitude

that: shows concern for other road users; recognizes that other road

users will make mistakes; knows no journey is so urgent that a safe

speed can be maintained; driving is a skill which requires the

application of good techniques; and; believes that safe driving requires

an alert mind at all times. Behavior, an ideal defensive driver: always

clean the seatbelt, keep within the advisory speed limit; constantly

scans the road for potential hazard, signals his intentions at all times

and show courtesy at all times. The factors affecting the behavior of

the driver are the following; alcohol, drugs and fatigue. Right mental

attitude, a defensive driver always maintains a safe caution of distance

in front and behind his vehicles by: a) observing the four-second rule,

b) adopting a positive and skilled mental approach. Search the road

seen ahead, around and rear of the vehicles, identity the potential and
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immediate hazard on the road, predict the actions of other road users

and decide what to do to avoid an unsafe situation.

Keys to Effective Defensive Driving

Concentration, standard vision, hearing and health all have a

bearing on the amount of concentration; the driver must adjust the

speed of his vehicle on the degree of concentration he is able to apply.

Driving plans and decisions, driving plans should be made on the

correct assessment of the changing scene both ahead or to the rear of

the vehicle, driving plans should enable the driver to make decisions in

a methodological manner, plans and decisions are combination of what

can be seen, what cannot be seen circumstances which are expected

to rise, allowances for the mistakes of other road users.

View from the vehicle, the driver must aim to have the best

possible view of the area around the vehicle, windows and windshield

must be clean, washers and wipers should be functioning, mirrors are

properly adjusted at the start of the journey.

Visions affected by speed, the driver must adjust the length and

the depth of his vision according to the speed trail, focus further ahead

as his speed increases; road and traffic conditions will govern speed,

mirrors are properly adjusted at the start of the journey.

Vision affected by fatigue, continuous driving for long periods will

causes fatigue which will result in eye strain, recognition and

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assessment of dangerous situations will become late and inaccurate,

making it essential to have period of rest.

Weather conditions, fog, rain, fading daylight or bright sunshine

will reduce visibility so speed must be kept low.

Road surface, a good driver is one that looks ahead and

recognizes any change in the road surface; keep a steady speed on

open roads. Slow down smoothly, press the pedal lightly. Starting up

slowly give other drivers and people walking a chance to see what you

are doing. They can then judge how to react. When you have reached

the speed you want, glance at the speedometer.

Driving Techniques and Safety

Keys to safe driving, good vision, look with your eyes but see

with your mind, obeying traffic rules and regulations, proper care of

your car, be courteous to other road users, proper signaling, failure to

signal is dangerous and inconsiderate, physical fitness, let someone

else take the wheel if you are not physically and mentally alert.

A good driver uses his brakes. An experienced driver is able to

make without using his brakes a great odd and yet be perfectly safe,

as compared to the less experienced one who keeps on banging at his

brakes every now and then. Skidding is cause by sudden hard and

violent braking as the weight of the vehicle is thrown forward and

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downward thereby subjecting the front suspension to a force greatly in

excess of what is normal. Steering therefore becomes unwieldy.

Things to do while driving in the rain, turn your headlights when

visibility is very poor, slow down at first sign of rain or drizzle on the

roadway. This is when may road pavements are most slippery because

oil and dust have not been washed away, driving on flooded roads

could lose your brakes, if this happens, test your brakes thoroughly to

dry them out (do this if the engine has not drowned and once beyond

the flooded stretch, avoid instant stopping, turning and starting the

engine, increase your “following” distance and allow extra space, clean

your windshield, washers and check wiper blades if they are working.