‘Make nonpayment of toll a traffic violation’

To ease traffic congestion at toll plazas, a lawmaker has sought to mandate the automated cashless collection of toll and penalize its nonpayment as a traffic violation. Bagong Henerasyon Rep. Bernadette Herrera on Friday pushed for the swift approval of House Bill No. 8161, or the Non-Payment of Toll Fees Act, which has been pending before the House transportation committee since May. “By making nonpayment of toll fees a traffic violation, we are sending a clear message that traffic rules must be followed. This is a fundamental step in ensuring the safety of our tollways,” she said in a statement on Friday. Herrera filed HB 8161 last May to address the need to improve road safety and streamline traffic flow in the country’s toll roads. She said penalizing the nonpayment of toll fees “will deter motorists from intentionally or unintentionally avoiding payment of toll fees, which can cause traffic build-up and accidents.” The measure proposed a P1,000 fine and one month suspension of the driver’s license for the first offense, a P2,000 fine and a three month suspension of the driver’s license for the second offense and a P5,000 fine and a six month suspension of the driver’s license for the third offense.

—Julie M. Aurelio