MANILA – The Quezon City government on Monday introduced a set of road safety measures aimed at reducing traffic accidents and improving the protection of students and other road users.

Mayor Joy Belmonte led the launch of three key policies in Cubao under the city’s partnership with the Partnership for Healthy Cities, a global network of more than 70 cities working to prevent noncommunicable diseases and injuries.

The initiatives include the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of Quezon City’s Comprehensive Road Safety Code, the Safe School Zone Ordinance, and an executive order creating the Quezon City Road Safety Working Group (QC-RSWG).

“We will continue working to ensure that everyone is safe on Quezon City roads. We are also proud that Quezon City has prepared for this next phase by training assessors who will help conduct school road safety audits and identify opportunities for road safety engineering interventions,” Belmonte said.

According to data from the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, Quezon City recorded the highest number of road crashes among Metro Manila local government units.

The Comprehensive Road Safety Code, enacted in 2018, was the first local ordinance in the country to adopt the Safe System Approach, a global framework that promotes safer road design and transport systems to reduce serious injuries and deaths from road crashes.

With the IRR now in place, the city government said the ordinance will move into full implementation through stronger coordination among agencies and sustained enforcement.

The Safe School Zone Ordinance, meanwhile, requires lower speed limits, improved pedestrian facilities, and enhanced traffic management around schools.

QC Councilor Julienne Alyson Rae Medalla said the measure seeks to improve the safety of students traveling to and from school.

“The Safe School Zone Ordinance aims to strengthen measures that will ensure the welfare and protection of students within and around school premises, including protection from road and traffic injuries,” she said.

The newly created QC-RSWG will be responsible for overseeing the planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of the city’s Road Safety Action Plan, communication strategies, and other related programs.

During the launch, Traffic and Transport Management Department head Dexter Cardenas outlined the implementing rules of the Road Safety Code and the functions of the QC-RSWG.

Public interest law group ImagineLaw welcomed the city’s latest initiatives and expressed hope that other local government units would adopt similar road safety measures.

“We commend the Quezon City Government for continuously championing safer roads for all. As a pioneer in enacting a comprehensive road safety code, we hope that Quezon City inspires more cities and municipalities to do the same,” said Sophia San Luis, executive director of ImagineLaw.

Farhad Ali, deputy regional director for Asia Pacific Partnership for Healthy Cities at Vital Strategies, said the city’s initiatives demonstrate the importance of local leadership in improving road safety.

The World Health Organization has identified road traffic injuries as the leading cause of death among children and young adults aged 5 to 29 worldwide, while noting that such incidents are preventable.