THE DEPARTMENT of Education and the Department of Health joined public interest law group ImagineLaw in reminding motorists to “share the road and stop for children.”

ImagineLaw urged drivers to observe traffic rules, drive under the speed limit and follow road safety policies to avoid crashes that oftentimes lead to casualties involving children.

“Hindi puwedeng hari-harian sa kalsada,” said Atty. Daphne Marcelo, the law group’s Project Manager for Road Safety. “We need to learn how to build a community and a road system that protect vulnerable road users, especially children.”

Citing data from the Philippine Statistics Authority, Imagine Law said that at least 1,670 Filipino children are killed by road crashes every year.

“Road crashes are an epidemic that kills our children,” Marcelo said. Just last month, a 5-year-old was killed by a passing truck in Taguig, the group said.

“We need to work together in building a set of solutions to end this epidemic: safer driving behavior, better infrastructure for pedestrians, commuters, and drivers, and strict and sensible enforcement of traffic rules,” she added.