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Aglipay-Villar hails Senate for the passage of Anti-Distracted Driving Bill
By Sammy F. Martin
MANILA, June 1 (PNA) -- Democratic Independent Workers’ Association (DIWA) Party-list Representative Emmeline Aglipay-Villar on Wednesday hailed the approval of Senate Bill 3211, that will penalized drivers using electronic gadgets while driving.

Aglipay-Villar said the bill aimed to combat the rising number of vehicular accidents due to motorists using their mobile phones and other electronic, computing, or media devices while on the road.

The party-list solon, who co-author of House Bill 4531 in the House of Representatives, said the measure was approved last June 10, 2014,

According to Aglipay-Villar, vehicular accidents are generally caused by driver errors when they don't give full attention to their driving. She said the number one reason for distracted driving is the use of mobile phones, while on the road.

Senate Bill 3211, was just recently approved by the Senate on 3rd Reading and final reading needs to pass through the Bicameral Conference Committee before it is transmitted to the President for his signature.

“DIWA would like to emphasize the urgency of the issue at hand, so we strongly urge the President to sign this measure immediately for the safety of our motorists and pedestrians” said Aglipay-Villar.

The bill prohibits using mobile communications device, including cellular phones, wireless telephones, two-way radio transceivers, pagers, among others, to write, send, or read a text-based communication or to make or receive calls; and using an electronic entertainment or computing device, including laptop computers, tablets, video game consoles, among others, to play games, watch movies, surf the internet, compose messages, read e-books, perform calculations and other similar acts.

She said there was still enough time for the Bicameral Conference Committee to consolidate disagreeing provisions and ratified the final report on the last day of session next week.

Those who will be caught violating these provisions shall be penalized with Php 5,000 for first offense; Php 10,000 for second offense, and Php 15,000 and a three-month suspension of driver’s license for third offense.

Emergency calls directed to law enforcement agencies, health care providers, fire departments, and similar agencies as well as individuals who drive using emergency vehicles (ambulance, fire trucks, etc), and individuals who use their mobile devices through a hands-free function (speaker phone, earphones, microphones, etc.), are exempted, provided that their mobile devices do not block the driver's line of sight.

“While at times useful for navigation, the use of electronic devices in moving motor vehicles is a danger to public safety, and must thus be regulated in line with the public good.” Aglipay-Villar explained.

The veteran lawmaker is confident that the law will lower the increasing number of vehicular accidents and will further impose discipline among motorists to always have their full attention while on the road. (PNA)
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