MMDA’s Garcia: ‘We will need to enforce’ traffic laws to lessen NCR road accidents

MANILA, Philippines — Government authorities involved in the implementation of traffic rules have met to discuss the “need to enforce” traffic laws in a bid to reduce road accidents in Metro Manila.

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said in a statement that it met with representatives of the Philippine National Police-Highway Patrol Group, Department of Transportation, Land Transportation Office, and Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board on Tuesday and talked about stricter enforcement of traffic laws notably the anti-drunk driving and anti-distracted driving in the nation’s capital region.

MMDA also said that they talked about suspending, revoking, or canceling the licenses of drivers with multiple traffic violations, among others, as well as establishing strategic checkpoints during curfew hours, and conducting random breath analyzer tests on drivers.

According to MMDA’s data, there were 31,811 accidents from January to August this year, including 6,614 non-fatal accidents and 25,061 incidents that resulted in damage to property.

MMDA data also shows that 618 accidents occurred in Edsa, where 509 resulted in damage to property while 105 were concrete-barrier related accidents.

The common causes of concrete-barrier accidents, according to MMDA, are driving under the influence of alcohol, physical fatigue, overspeeding, distracted driving, unauthorized use of accessories, and vehicle roadworthiness.

Asked if the MMDA will impose stricter penalties to drivers caught driving under the influence, MMDA General Manager Jojo Garcia said that enforcing Republic Act 10586 or the “Anti-Drunk Driving and Drugged Driving Act of 2013” is enough.

Under the law, a driver found driving a vehicle under the influence of alcohol or dangerous drugs will be penalized as follows:

• if the violation did not result in physical injuries or homicide, the driver will face three months of imprisonment and will be fined ranging from P20,000 to P80,000.
• if the violation resulted in physical injuries, the driver will be slapped with the penalty provided in Article 263 of the Revised Penal Code, and a fine ranging from P100,000 to P200,000.
• if the violation resulted in the loss of life, the driver will face the penalty provided in Article 249 of the Revised Penal Code, and a fine ranging from P300,000 to P500,000

“May existing nang batas eh,” Garcia said in a press conference. “Kaya lang ‘yung enforcement eh. Kaya ngayon nagusap-usap kami, na we will need to enforce this para talagang madala ang tao.”

(There is an existing law, but the problem is the enforcement. That’s why we talked that we will need to enforce this so that the people will take it seriously.)

“Tingin ko naman, maganda na ‘yung batas natin, malaki na ang penalty, the problem is hindi natin masyadong nae-enforce,” he added of RA 10586.

(I think that our law is okay, the fines are already high, but it hasn’t been enforced properly.)