Traffic is a Two-Way Street of Responsibility

The rising number of traffic violations on Iloilo City’s streets is a problem that belongs to everyone.

While the Traffic and Transportation Management Office (TTMO) correctly identifies poor driver behavior and lack of awareness as key factors, a lasting solution requires looking in the mirror as well as out the window. The path to order is a two-way street, built on the shared responsibility of both the enforcers and the motoring public.

First, let’s be clear: the primary duty to know and obey traffic laws falls on every individual who gets behind the wheel. Claiming ignorance of ordinances is not a valid defense, especially when those rules are designed for public safety.

Every motorist has an obligation to be informed and to operate their vehicle with due regard for the law and the well-being of others. The recent apprehensions underscore a clear need for drivers to take this personal responsibility more seriously.

However, this is only half of the equation. The TTMO’s own honest admission that motorists “got used to not being apprehended” following a period of “lax enforcement” is critically important. It reveals that the environment on our streets was, for a time, permissive.

An ecosystem of non-compliance was allowed to flourish. When rules are not consistently enforced, they become mere suggestions, and it is human nature to adapt to the prevailing standard.

This creates a challenging dynamic. A sudden, intense crackdown, while perhaps well-intentioned, can feel arbitrary to a public that has become accustomed to a different set of unwritten rules. It fosters resentment rather than respect for the law. This is where the government’s share of the responsibility lies – not just in making the rules, but in creating a stable and predictable environment where those rules are consistently upheld.

The solution, therefore, cannot be a one-sided campaign of blame and punishment. It must be a partnership.

For motorists, this is a call to step up. It means actively seeking information about traffic regulations, retiring the “I didn’t know” excuse, and embracing a personal commitment to disciplined driving.

For the TTMO, it means committing to steady, fair, and predictable enforcement – not just in short-term bursts. It requires a more robust and active public information campaign that goes beyond social media to meet people where they are, through barangay assemblies, visible signage, and direct engagement.

Moving forward, the goal should not simply be to apprehend more violators. It should be to create a city where fewer violations happen in the first place. This can only be achieved when motorists accept their duty to obey and the government fulfills its duty to enforce the law with fairness and consistency.

Both sides must now signal a clear, decisive turn toward mutual accountability.