The Land Transportation Office (LTO) in Calabarzon called on university students to avail of its complimentary Theoretical Driving Courses (TDC) as part of a drive to promote road safety education and cultivate responsible driving habits among the youth.

In an interview on Wednesday, Jovelyn Escartin, officer-in-charge of LTO Calabarzon’s E-Patrol Section, said the agency’s E-Patrol initiative aims to make LTO services, which now included drivers’ education, more accessible to the public.

As part of this program, the LTO is sending its instructors to participating schools to conduct lessons for aspiring new drivers, she said.

“We also reach out to students in colleges and universities to provide them with the knowledge and skills necessary for safe and responsible driving before they hit the road,” she added.

Escartin reported that 131 students from Batangas State University (BSU) Nasugbu campus were the latest to benefit from the E-Patrol program.

They underwent free Theoretical Driving Courses on Monday at BSU-Nasugbu campus, facilitated by staff from the Driver’s Education Center (DEC) based in Alaminos town in the province.

The course covered essential topics such as traffic rules and regulations, road signs, defensive driving techniques, and motorists’ responsibilities, preparing them for the written examinations, all of which they successfully passed, Escartin said.

“Students who completed and passed the course were able to save PHP1,000, which is the typical fee charged by authorized privately owned training centers,” she added.

Escartin further highlighted that the E-Patrol outreach program offers not only free Theoretical Driving Courses (TDC) but also assistance with applying for student driver’s permits and renewing driver’s licenses if they have not expired for more than two years.

She said these services are available from the LTO Regional Office upon request from municipalities, cities, colleges, and universities.

“LTO firmly believes that education plays a pivotal role in preventing road accidents and nurturing a safety-conscious culture on our roads,” Escartin said.

“By partnering with academic institutions like BSU, we can broaden our impact on young drivers and empower them to make informed decisions while driving,” she added. (PNA)