JUNE 8, 2016

NR # 4225

House adopts Senates version of the Anti-distracted Driving Act

The House of Representatives adopted the Senates version of the proposed AntiDistracted Driving Act during the last session of the 16th Congress on Monday.
Senate Bill 3211 was an amendment to House Bill 4531 or the Anti-Distracted Driving
Act authored by re-electionist Rep. Cesar Sarmiento (Lone District, Catanduanes) to regulate the
use of communication devices or electronic gadgets while driving.
The adopted Senate bill identifies what constitutes distracted driving such as the use of
mobile devices as a means of communication either through texts or calls and the use of
electronic gadgets for playing games, internet browsing and watching movies.
Further provision in the adopted bill now includes the owner or operator of the vehicle as a
liable party together with the offending driver.
The bill seeks to penalize violators ranging from P5,000 for the first offense, P10,000 for
the second offense and P15,000 for the third offense.
The final offense shall mean cancellation of the drivers license and a penalty of P20,000.
The bill, however, exempts drivers using the aid of a hands-free function and vehicles that
are not in motion except those who are temporarily halted by the red light and by traffic
enforcers.
Also covered in the provision are wheeled agricultural machineries, construction vehicles
and other forms of transportation such as bicycles, pedicabs, trolleys, habal-habal, kuliglig,
human and animal-powered carriages.
A nationwide public information campaign shall also be conducted for a period of six
months to ensure the effectivity of this act.
The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), Land Transportation
Office (LTO), Philippine Information Agency (PIA), Department of Education (DepEd),
Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and Philippine National Police (PNP)
shall initiate the nationwide campaign and information, education and campaign.
Other authors of the bill includes re-electionist Reps. Rolando Andaya Jr. (1 st District,
Camarines Sur), Angelina Tan (4th District, Quezon City), Romeo Acop (2 nd District, Antipolo
City), Xavier Jesus Romualdo (Lone District, Camiguin), Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (2 nd District,
Pampanga), Irwin Tieng (Partylist, BUHAY), Michael Velarde (Partylist, BUHAY), Lito Atienza
(Partylist, BUHAY), Emmeline Aglipay-Villar (Partylist, DIWA), former Reps. Susan Yap and
Diosdado Arroyo. (30) nap