ANTIQUE Rep. Antonio Legarda Jr. is pushing for a measure integrating driving and road safety education in Senior High School curriculum.

Legarda’s House Bill 8663 or the proposed Driving Education Bill of 2023 aims to educate students about relevant traffic laws, rules and regulations, road safety and discipline, as well as knowledge on the operation and maintenance of a vehicle.

The solon said the integration of a driving and road safety education course in the senior high school curriculum will be highly beneficial to students as it will not only equip them with practical skills which may be necessary for acquiring a job, but also instill upon them respect to traffic laws, rules, and regulations.

The bill also cited reports from Philippine Statistics Authority which stated transport accidents are the 12th cause of death for Filipinos in 2022.

“This means that over 11,000 Filipinos die every year due to vehicular accidents,” Legarda said in his explanatory note.

“Given the high mortality rate, it is imperative that measures must be taken to address this problem,” he added.