Anti-Distracted Driving Act takes effect nationwide

The ban on "distracted driving" takes effect nationwide starting this Thursday, May 18, the Land Transportation Office chief said.

Enforcement of the law covers all motorists on all municipal, city, provincial, and national roads and highways,  and it involves all traffic authorities down to the localities.

"Nationwide ito, hindi lang ito sa Metro Manila. In fact kahit sa pampublikong lansangan under the municipality or city ay walang deployment diyan ng LTO, maaaring ang HPG (Highway Patrol Group) wala. Pero yung local traffic agents nila o enforcement nila can cite them for this violations," LTO Chief and Transportation Assistant Secretary Edgar Galvante said in an interview on "Unang Balita."

Republic Act. No 10913, also known as the "Anti-Distracted Driving Act" prohibits motorist from texting, receiving or making a call using their mobiles phones. 

Under RA 10913, "distracted driving" is when a motorist is using his/her mobile gadgets while the vehicle is moving or stopping at a red light.

Other acts of distracted driving under the new law include:

• Using mobile communications device to write, send, or read text-based communications or to make or receive calls and other similar acts
• Using an electronic entertainment or computing device to play games, watch movies, surf the internet, compose messages, read e-books, perform calculations, and other similar act

Galvante reminded motorists that navigational applications like Waze and Google maps can still be used as long as they will rely on the audio feature of the gadget and set their preferred destination prior to their departure.

"Ang advice diyan is meron namang audio portion 'yan, kaya kung pwede doon na lang sila mag-rely sa audio. Ngayon, kung kailangan tingnan nila yung kanilang gadget para makita nila yung mapa at daraanan, bawal yung ganon." 

Also, Galvante said, "Kaya ang kailangan nila, itabi nila yung sasakyan na hindi sila nakahambalang sa daanan at doon nila tingnan kyung kanilang gadget. Kasi kung nago-operate sila ng kanilang vehicle, ipinagbabawal yung ganoong aksyon." 

According to former LTO chief and Secretary General of Philippine Global Road Safety Partnership, Alberto Suansing, the Anti-Distracted Driving Act should have been implemented long ago.

"Yung batas na yan dapat matagal nang ipinapatupad dahil yan ay isa sa mga sanhi ng sakuna rito sa ating lansangan, yung hawak hawak mo ang cellphone mo tapos nagmamaneho ka ng sasakyan," Suansing said.

While there is no data yet available on the number of road accidents in the country caused by motorists using mobile gadgets, Suansing said that studies cite this as the second most deadliest form of distracted driving.

"...Sa mga pagaaral na ginawa, ang nagce-cellphone, humahawak ng gadget habang nagmamaneho ay pangalawa sa ten most deadliest forms of distracted driving...Of course ang una ay yung lost in thought o yung wala sa sarili," he said.

He also pointed out that the law would be difficult to implement fully.

"Medyo may kahirapan yan pero of course batas yan na dapat ipatupad, may kasamang pakiusap na yan at konting pananakot. Yung sinasabi kong konting pananakot ay sinasabi natin sa motorista na iwasang mag-violate ng traffic rules lalong lalo na ito na mag-violate sila ng distracted driving dahil kasi merong maximum penalty yan...Death, hindi lang yung multa. Kasi sinasabi nga nila for example dito sa EDSA if you're running at 60 kph that is 16.6 meters per second, so pumikit ka lang tumakbo ka na ng 16 meters per second so delikado talaga," he said.

Exempted from the new law are motorists using mobile phones for emergency calls to a law enforcement agency, health care provider, fire department or other emergency services, agencies or entities.

Also exempted are motorists using mobile phones while operating an emergency vehicle such as an ambulance, a fire truck and other vehicles providing emergency assistance in the course and scope of his or her duties.

Motorists caught violating the new law shall be fined as follows:

• P5,000 for the first offense
• P10,000 for the second offense
• P15,000 and suspension of driver’s license for three months for the third offense
• P20,000 fine and revocation of driver’s license for the fourth offense

READ: Anti-Distracted Driving Act 101: 11 things you need to know

READ: Motorists texting while driving to be apprehended, fined starting May 18

READ: LTO carifies Grab, Uber drivers not the target of law barring use of mobile gadgets

—LBG, GMA News