TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT AND

ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION
WITH DRIVING
Percentage Weight in Crime Detection and Investigation – 2% (10 items)

Desired Competencies:
1. Recall, explain and use the legal provisions of the following: Registration and renewal of
motor vehicles; Driver’s License and renewal; traffic signs, traffic lights, and other control
devices, pavement markings, speed limit; conduction permit, license plate; passengers
on the top cover, failure to provide canvas cover to cargos, permitting a passenger to ride
on running board, step board or mudguard; failure to dim headlights when approaching
another motor vehicle, hitching or permitting a person or a bicycle, motorcycle, tricycle
or skate roller to hitch to a motor vehicle, counter Flow, illegal U-turn, Right of Way Rule,
the Rule on Overtaking; and other special penal laws such as seatbelt, drunk driving,
distracted driving and others;
2. Describe, explain, and use the principles of the following: Pillars of Traffic Law
Enforcement; Pillars of Traffic Management; Pillars of Traffic Administration; legal
provisions on Early warning devices, road worthiness of vehicles, extra loud mufflers and
horns, smoke-belching, and the lemon law;
3. Explain, use, and organized the processes of traffic accident investigation, hit and run,
collision and non-collision type of accident, Chain of Events in an accident, key event of
an accident, causes of accident, Marks on the road in a collision and non-collision type of
accident, the Last Clear Chance principle, the state of necessity principle, civil and criminal
liabilities of driver’s and operators in an accident, the implication of accident to the
franchise of Public Utility vehicles, and the administrative liability of driver’s license in an
accident, means in committing a crime, and process of filing charges in vehicular related
incidents.
 TRAFFIC
Transportation
- movement or conveying of persons and goods from one location to another

Terminologies
• Highway –every public thoroughfare, public boulevard, driveway, avenue, park, alley and callejon,
but shall not include grounds owned by private persons or institutions
• Traffic way - the entire width between boundary lines of every way open to the use of public for
vehicular traffic
• Arterial highways/roads – high capacity urban roads
• Collector highway – connects low-to-moderate highways
• Through highway – provides which vehicular traffic is given the right-of-way
• Throughway – has limited entrances and exits
• Roadway – part of the traffic way where motor vehicles pass
a. National roads – interconnecting provinces or cities
b. Provincial roads – interconnecting municipalities or cities within a province
c. City roads – interconnecting barangays within a city
d. Municipal roads – interconnecting barangays within a municipality
e. Barangay roads – located within a barangay connecting sitios or places within a barangay
• Shoulder – either side of the roadway
• Sidewalk – paved walkway along the side of a street
• Curb – edge of a roadway where a raised sidewalk meets the roadway or a street
• Intersection - area embraced within the prolongation or connection of the lateral curb lines
- roadways of two highways which join one another at, or approximately at, right angles
1. 3-way intersection – T or Y crossroad, links three roads
2. 4-way intersection – crossing of two roadways
3. Skewed intersection – two roads cross at different angles
4. 5-way intersection – crossing of five roads, least common
5. 6-way intersection – crossing of 3 streets (2 perpendicular roads and one diagonal road)
6. Staggered intersection – two successive T roads

Classification of intersections according to traffic control

1. Controlled intersection
a. yield-controlled intersection – controlled by yield sign
b. Stop-controlled intersection – stop sign is usually installed
c. Traffic circle – directed by a circle, rotary island or a runabout sign
2. Uncontrolled intersection – no traffic signals or traffic signals
3. Box junction – prohibits entry unless exit is clear
4. Cloverleaf - highway interchange at which 2 highways, one crossing the other, have a series
of entrance and exit ramps

Specific Traffic Problems

• Traffic build-up – increase of traffic users in a given portion of the highway
• Traffic congestion – characterized by slower speeds, longer trip times and increased vehicular
queueing
• Traffic jams – movement of traffic users is very slow or stationary
• Bottlenecks – narrow points in highways where traffic jams and congestions usually occur
• Gridlocks – severe road congestion, occurs when continuous queues of vehicles block an entire
network of intersecting streets, bringing traffic in all directions to a complete standstill
• Accidents – events which may cause unintentional damage to property, loss of limb or death
• Collisions – incident where one moving traffic unit or person striking violently against another

Major Causes of Traffic Congestion

• Physical inadequacy – lack of roads, narrow bridges, railroad crossing, lack of traffic facilities
• Poor control measures – ineffective and mechanical control devices, inefficient traffic officers, poor
implementation of traffic laws
• Human errors – slow drivers, pedestrian mistakes, officers’ errors, poor planning
• Poor maintenance – unrepaired diggings, cracks on road pavement

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Important Provisions of Republic Act No. 4136
Definition of Terms:
• Motor Vehicle – any vehicle propelled by any power other than muscular power using the public
highways
Except: road rollers, trolley cars, street-sweepers, sprinklers, lawn mowers, bulldozers, graders,
forklifts, amphibian trucks, and cranes or those exclusively used for agricultural purposes
• Passenger automobiles – all pneumatic-tire vehicles
- allowable carrying capacity does not exceed 9 passengers and not used for carrying freight
Passenger truck - motor vehicle registered for more than nine passengers
• Articulated vehicle - motor vehicle with a trailer having no front axle
• Driver - any licensed operator of a motor vehicle
• Professional driver - any driver hired or paid for driving or operating a motor vehicle, whether for
private use or for hire to the public.
• Owner - actual legal owner of a motor vehicle, in whose name such vehicle is duly registered
• Dealer - every person or association making, manufacturing, constructing, assembling, remodeling,
rebuilding, or setting up motor vehicles
• Garage - any building in which two or more motor vehicles, either with or without drivers, are kept
ready for hire to the public, but shall not include public places designated
• Gross weight - measured weight of a motor vehicle plus the maximum allowable carrying capacity
• Exceeding Registered Capacity - overloading
- Loads should not be more than its registered carrying capacity
• Cargoes – must not exceed 100 kilos
• Riding on running board - strictly prohibited except for conductors
• Riding on top of motor vehicle – not allowed
- baggage or freight – not more than 20 kilos per square meter
Prohibited practices:
• Hanging on to or riding on the outside or rear end of vehicles
• Holding on to any moving vehicle
• Driver allowing any person to hang on to or ride outside the rear end of vehicle
• Driving under the influence of liquor or prohibited drugs
• Obstruction of traffic – applies even when discharging and loading passengers

HIT-AND-RUN accidents; When not liable:

1. Life is in imminent danger of being harmed
2. He surrenders to proper authority
3. He summons the assistance of a physician or nurse to aid the victim

Accessories of Motor Vehicles

• Tires - no metallic tires operated upon any public highway
• Brakes – if with four or more wheels - dual hydraulic brake system
• Horns – must not be emitting an exceptionally loud, startling, or disagreeable sound
• Headlights - motor vehicles with more than one meter of projected width shall bear two headlights
- visible not later than one-half hour after sunset and until at least one-half four before sunrise
- no red lights shall be visible forward or ahead of the vehicle
- dim the headlights or tilt the beams downward whenever the vehicle is being operated on
well-lighted streets or whenever such vehicle meets another vehicle on any public highway
• Taillights - visible at least one hundred meters from the rear
• Use of red flag - when load extends more than one meter beyond the body – projected not less
than thirty centimeters both in length and width

Registration of Motor Vehicles

1. Private – for personal use by owners
2. Public utility vehicle – for conveyance of passengers or other commercial goods
3. Government – owned by government offices and for official purposes only
4. Diplomat – for foreign diplomats and consuls assigned in the Philippines

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Date of Registration
Month Last Digit Week 2nd to the last digit
January 1 1st week 1,2,3
February 2 2nd week 4,5,6
March 3 3rd week 7,8
April 4 4th week 9,0
May 5
June 6
July 7
August 8
September 9
October 0

Plate Numbers
1. Private – green with white background
2. PUV – black with yellow background
3. Government – red with white background
4. Diplomats – blue with white background
Protocol Plate Numbers – special plate numbers for high-ranking government officials
1 – president
14 – Chief of Staff of AFP and Chief of the PNP

Driver’s License
- document issued to a qualified driver who possesses the statutory qualification
Note:
a. No person shall operate any motor vehicle without procuring license
b. Shall be carried at all times
c. May be confiscated if commits a violation
TOP – Temporary Operator’s Permit – good for 72 hours
Expiration of License
• Student driver’s permit – 12 months
- issued to persons who desire to learn
- 17 years old for Non-Professional License; 1-month acquisition
- 18 years old for Professional License; 5-month acquisition
• Non-professional Driver’s License
- issued to owners of privately-owned motor vehicles
- valid for 5 years
• Professional Driver’s License
- issued to driver hired or paid for driving

DL Codes
DL Code Type of Vehicle
A Motorcycle
A1 Tricycle
B Up to 5,000 kgs. GVW/8 seats
B1 Up to 5,000 kgs. GVW/9 or more seats
B2 Carrying goods ≤ 3,500 kgs GVW
C Carrying goods >3,500 kgs GVW
D Bus > 5,000 kgs GVW/9 or more seats
BE BE – Trailers ≤ 3,500 kgs
CE Articulated C > 3,500 kgs combined GVW

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 Condition Code
Condition 1 Wear eyeglasses
Condition 2 Special equipment for limbs
Condition 3 Customized vehicle only
Condition 4 Daylight driving only
Condition 5 Accompanied by person who can hear

General Rules of Road Use and Conduct

• Speed limit
- drive at careful and prudent speed
- not greater nor less than is reasonable and proper
- not in a speed that will endanger the life, limp and property of persons
- not in a speed greater than will permit him to bring the vehicle to a stop within the assured
clear distance ahead
Exception:
a. Physician who responds to emergency calls
b. Driver of ambulance on emergencies
c. Any driver bringing a wounded person for emergency treatment
d. Driver of the Armed Forces vehicle in times of riot insurrection or invasion
e. A drive whose passengers are in pursuit of a criminal
f. Law-enforcement officer overtaking a violator
g. Driver of motor vehicle of the fire department
• Lateral Placement - proper positioning of the motor vehicle while traversing on a traffic way or while
on park
- shall pass to the right!!!
- Pedestrians – to the left facing the oncoming traffic
• Overtaking
- pass at a safe distance to the left of a vehicle being overtaken
- resume driving on the right side ONLY after passing clear of the overtaken vehicle
Exception: Vehicle may be overtaken on the right
a. If there are two or more lanes where traffic goes in one direction
b. The driver about to be overtaken must give way to the overtaking vehicle
c. Not to increase speed until overtaking vehicle has fully passed by
No overtaking and passing on these places
• To the left side of the center line of a highway
- unless it is clearly visible and is free from oncoming traffic
• When approaching the crest of a grade or curve on a highway where the driver’s view is
obstructed within 500 feet ahead
• At any railway grade or crossing or any intersection
- unless controlled by a traffic signal or enforcer
• Between any points where a sign indicates that men are working on highways
• In any “no passing or overtaking zone”
• Parking – vehicle is brought to a stop on the shoulder or proper edge of a highway, and remains
inactive in that place or close thereto for an appreciable period of time
No parking:
- within an intersection or crosswalk
- within 6 meters of the intersection of curb lines
- within 4 meters of driveway entrance of fire station
- within 4 meters of fire hydrant
- front of a private driveway
• Turning at Intersections
- approach the intersection in the lane for traffic nearest to the right-hand side of the highway
- keep as close as possible to the right-hand curb or edge of the highway.

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 PILLARS OF TRAFFIC
• Traffic Engineering – the science of measuring traffic and travel
• Traffic Education - imparting or acquiring general knowledge on traffic
• Traffic Enforcement - deals with implementation and enforcement of traffic laws and rules and
regulations
• Traffic Ecology - study of potentially disastrous population explosion, air and water pollution that
results to traffic congestion
• Traffic Economy - deals with the benefits and adverse effects of traffic to our economy

TRAFFIC EDUCATION
Traffic Safety Education
- process of training road users in the avoidance and prevention of traffic-related accidents
Road Safety – reduced risk of accident or injury on the roads, achieved through multidisciplinary
approaches
Schools
a. Elementary – focused on safety and guides stressing traffic safety, classroom discussion of
accidents, incidents and safety rules
b. Secondary – school safety organizations
c. Higher Education - offer and conduct courses regarding traffic safety subjects

Driver’s Education - aims primarily to teach the rudiments of driving

4 basic types of Instruction Methods
1. Comprehensive – placing the student into real life of driving situations from the beginning
2. Traditional Instruction – depends on instructor-student communication
3. Commentary Driving method – student-driver accompanied by instructor
4. Simulated Conditions – on and off the road training

Biorhythm - theory that asserts that man exhibits constant variation of life energy and mood states.
- gives us a hint on how we will tend to feel on a certain day

Safety Campaign
- mass publicity aimed to make road users behave more safely
- road propaganda

Right of Way
- the legal customary precedence which allows one vehicle to cross or pass in front of another
Rules:
• When 2 vehicles approach an intersection at the same time
- vehicle on the left shall yield the right of way
Note: The driver traveling at unlawful speed forfeits this right.
• Anyone who’s already within the intersection or turning therein
- the vehicle approaching but not yet entered the intersection shall have the right of way
• A vehicle on a highway within a business residential district
- shall yield the right of way to pedestrians within a crosswalk
Note: Pedestrians shall yield the right of way if there are no crosswalks
• The right of way is in favor of all vehicles utilizing the highway
• A vehicle entering from a private road or drive shall yield the right of way
• Police or fire department vehicles and ambulances shall have the right of way
• Driver’s entering the through highway shall yield the right of way to all vehicles approaching in
either direction on such through highway

TRAFFIC CONTROL
- procedures, devices and communication systems that helps vehicles and vessels safely share the
same roads, railways, waterways, or air space
- system of traffic engineering, employing prescribed traffic rules and regulations and devices such
as signals and marking to relieve vehicular congestion and air pollution and to promote safety and
pedestrian mobility
Primary emphasis – on the safe and efficient flow of cars over streets and highways

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Traffic Signs
- any device mounted on portable support whereby a message is conveyed by means of words or
symbols
Basic Sign Shapes
• Round and red – regulates movement of turning and passing
• Round and black – warning that you are approaching a railroad crossing
• Equilateral triangle red signs – yield right-of-way
• Eight sided red and white stop sign – most popular and understood sign by all tongues and colors
• Triangle red and black – approaching a danger zone, slope, winding road, and others

Classification of International Traffic Signs

• Danger warning signs - caution signs
- warn motorist of approaching hazardous road conditions
- seek caution for approaching hazards
• Regulatory Signs - round in shape, except stop signs and yield signs
- impose legal restrictions; information of laws and regulations
- special obligations, instructions or prohibitions which must be complied and violations
constituting misdemeanor
• Informative Signs - guide signs or direction signs
- guide motorists on established roads; inform motorists of proper roads
- help in the most simple and direct method

Traffic Lights
- any power operated traffic control device by which traffic is warned or directed to take some
specific actions
RED - STOP
- always represented danger
AMBER - CAUTION
- not yellow
GREEN - GO
- previously white

Classification of Traffic Signal Lights

1. Traffic control signals – designed primarily to control and regulate traffic flows
2. Special pedestrian signals – provides regulation for pedestrian
3. Train approach and gates signals – installed on road-rail intersections designed to inform motorists
of any approaching train on the intersection

Traffic Signal Systems

• The Fixed-time system - traffic is alternately commanded to stop and permitted to proceed in
accordance with predetermined time schedule
• Progressive System - signals at successive intersections along the artery are timed to change from
red to green at staggered intervals
• Computerized Control of Signal Networks - signal changes are ordered by the demands of traffic
- directed by computers that operate on the basis of traffic information relayed from vehicle
sensors on the streets

Pavement Markings and Markers

- all lines, patterns, words, colors, or other gadgets placed for the purpose of regulating, warning or
guiding traffic
• Pavement Marking – white or yellow lines to separate motor vehicles travelling in the same or
opposite direction
• Curb Markings – placed on curbs or edges for restriction or for parking regulation purposes
• Object Markings – placed on objects like humps, rocks or similar hazardous objects on the side of
the road
• Reflectorized Markings – designed to reflect and become luminous when hit by vehicle’s headlight

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Specific Meaning of Pavement Markings
• Single White Dotted Line
- overtaking is possible
• Single white continuous line in a two-lane traffic way
- passing and overtaking can be made ONLY when there is no oncoming traffic
• Single continuous line on a four-lane road
- lanes 1 & 4 for slow moving vehicles
- lanes 2 & 3 for faster moving vehicles
- never overtake by passing over the solid white line
• Double Yellow line or Double white line with dotted line
- absolutely NO overtaking
• Single yellow/white line with dotted white line
- cannot overtake if the solid line is on your side
• Yellow continuous line on road provided with a passing line
- for heavy trucks and slow moving vehicles

Traffic Islands
- areas within the roadway constructed in a manner to establish physical channels through which
vehicular traffic is guided
segregate pedestrians and vehicles
• Pedestrian Island - Constructed between the pedestrian sidewalk and the road pavement to prevent
pedestrian from using the roadway
• Division island – constructed to divide streams of motor vehicles
• Channelizing island – constructed to channelize or direct the flow of traffic
• Rotary island – constructed along intersections or “rotundas” for purposes of turning-around

TRAFFIC LAW ENFORCEMENT

- involves arrest, issuance of TOP or inspection summons or warning of persons who violated the law
2 Major Functions:
1. Police Traffic Law Enforcement - deterrent to law violations
- special assistance to prosecutors
2. Court Traffic Law Enforcement - prosecution, adjudication and penalization

5 Essential Steps in the Enforcement Process

• Detection – looking for defects in behavior of motorists, pedestrians and vehicles
• Apprehension – actual taking of enforcement actions
• Prosecution – prepares the evidences or has close contact with the prosecuting officer
• Adjudication – police acts as witness or supplies additional evidence
• Penalization – imposing of penalty upon accused if found guilty

Kinds of Enforcement Action

• Traffic Arrest - taking a person in custody for the purpose of holding or detaining him to answer a
charge of law violation before a court
• Traffic Citation - having violators appear in court without physical arrest
- issuance of TCT, TOP and TVR
• Traffic Warning
3 Types of Warning
1. Visual warning – used when a minor violation is observed but are more importantly occupied
at a moment
2. Verbal warning – form of safety education, tells the violation and explains its hazards
3. Written warning – combination of verbal warning and citations

Types of Stationary Observation

• Conspicuous observation – observer remains in full view of traffic conditions, traffic patrol officer
could be seen by all traffic users
• Visible observation – observer is in full view but located in side street to require effort on the part of
traffic to discover the observer
• Concealed observation – observer is not visible to persons

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 TRAFFIC ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION
Terms
• Accident – occurrence in a sequence of events which usually produces unintended injury, death or
property damage
• Traffic Accident – accident involving travel transportation on a traffic way
• Motor vehicle accident – events resulting in unintended injury or property damage attributable
directly or indirectly to the action of motor vehicle or its loads

Kinds of Traffic Accident

• Non-motor Vehicle Traffic Accident – occurring on a traffic way involving persons using the traffic
way but not involving motor vehicle in motion
• Motor Vehicle Non-Traffic Accident – occurs entirely in any place other than a traffic way
• Motor Vehicle Traffic Accident – occurs on a traffic way

Chain of Events in a Vehicular Accident

1. Perception of Hazard - seeing, feeling, or hearing and understanding the usual or unexpected
movement or condition that could be taken as sign of the accident about to happen
2. Start of Evasive action - first action taken to escape from a collision course or avoid a hazard
3. Initial Contact - first accidental touching of an object collision course
4. Maximum Engagement - greatest collapse or overlap in a collision
5. Disengagement - separation of traffic unit in motion from an object with which it has collided
6. Stopping - when the traffic units involved come to rest
7. Injury - receiving bodily harm

Other Events that may occur

• Point of Possible Perception – place and time which the hazard could have been perceived by a
normal person
• Point of no Escape – place and time after or beyond which the accident can no longer be prevented
by the traffic unit under consideration
• Perception Delay – the time from the point of possible perception to actual perception
• Final Position – place and time when objects involved in an accident finally come to rest without
application of power

Tire Impressions
• Skidmark – due to sudden application of brake which results in the locked wheel condition
• Centrifugal Skid Mark – left by a rotating tire and wheel of a speeding vehicle on a curve
• Scuff Mark – tire that is both rotating and sliding on pavement
• Impending skid mark – caused by the forward rotation of the wheels being slower than the forward
movement of the vehicle (tire shadow marks)
• Yawn Mark – made on the road by a rotating tire which is slipping in a direction parallel to the axle
of the wheel (sliding sideways)
• Skip mark – braking skid mark interrupted at frequent intervals; bouncing wheel on which brakes
keep the wheel from turning
• Gap Skid

Reaction Time – the distance traveled before applying the brakes