Transport department suspends implementing of  anti-distracted driving law

May 23, 2017

The Department of Transportation suspended the implementation of the Anti-Distracted Driving Law on Tuesday in response to the call of both Houses of Congress, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) member Aileen Lizada said Tuesday. “The Department of Transportation, Land Transportation Office, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, Metro Manila Development Authority and the Philippine National Police Highway Patrol Group take heed to defer the enforcement of RA 10913 or the Anti-Distracted Driving Act,” Lizada, also spokesperson of the LTFRB, said in a text message to the Daily Manila Shimbun. The Anti-Distracted Driving Law which prohibits forms of distracted driving for both public and private vehicles was implemented last May 18. It restricts the usage of mobile phones, electronic and computing gadgets or devices while the vehicle is moving or briefly stopped on a traffic light or an intersection. Transport Undersecretary Cesar Chavez said “the DOTr shall immediately revive its Technical Working Group to conduct a review of the IRR in coordination with concerned stakeholders." Some lawmakers called for the suspension of the implementation of the act after  authorities barred rosaries and religious icons on dashboards of vehicles apart from the gadgets, which could cause distraction while driving. While the law called for the prohibition of using gadgets, such as cellular phones, while driving, the implementing rules and regulations also banned other things which could distract the driver's sight. Chavez said an information and education campaign shall commence as soon as the new implementing rules and regulations are crafted. "In the meantime, we invite the public to continue the constructive discussion on this new law so as to contribute on how we could all better promote road safety, discipline, and responsible driving," Chavez said. (Alanna Ambi, Celerina Monte/DMS)