OK again to mount phones on dashboard, but…

A primer issued by the Department of Transportation on the contentious Anti-Distracted Driving Act

Drivers who want to use their mobile phones as navigational devices have been given a four-inch height limit for gadgets mounted on the dashboard, according to the revised implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the Anti-Distracted Driving Act (Adda).

Land Transportation Office (LTO) chief Edgar Galvante on Friday said motorists can place mobile phones on top of the dashboard, provided these would not exceed the four-inch limit.

He said this height restriction was based on a consensus reached by the LTO with motoring and road safety associations, car manufacturers and transport network companies (TNCs).

These parties formed the technical working group created by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to address the confusion that marked Adda’s implementation last month, particularly regarding the placement of gadgets that could hinder the driver’s view.
The law was suspended on the fifth day of its enforcement.

Galvante also stressed that Grab and Uber drivers who use phones for navigation must pull over if they need to contact their passengers or reevaluate their routes. He noted that both TNCs have committed to inform their drivers of the new regulation.

The DOTr is expected to publish the revised IRR on Tuesday next week—and resume the law’s implementation before the end of the month.