Makati gets tough vs drunk driving

The Makati City government has approved a new ordinance which amended provisions of the city’s traffic code and imposed stiffer fines and penalties for drunk driving and other traffic violations.

The new ordinance provides for the impounding of vehicles of those who will be caught driving motor vehicles under the influence of liquor or drugs, in addition to the P2,500 fine and/or imprisonment prescribed by the 2003 Traffic Code for the first offense.

The city will also recommend to the Land Transportation Organization (LTO) the suspension or revocation of the drunk driver’s license.

Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay said he signed City Ordinance No. 2011-010, recently enacted by the Makati City Council, to ensure compliance with traffic rules since violation are often cited as the cause of road accidents.

Data from the Makati Command Control and Communications Center (C3) show a total of 781 road accidents recorded in the city from January to July of this year, while a total of 1,434 road accidents were recorded in 2010.

“Traffic violations aggravate the traffic situation in Makati, which has an average of 800,000 vehicles passing through its roads daily. This new ordinance aims to curtail the disregard for traffic rules, which is largely to blame for vehicular accidents that occur in our city,” Binay said.

The ordinance also modifies the ban on tricycles on national roads in the city, including all roads within the central business district. The penalty for violators was also raised to P1,000 from P500, in addition to impounding of the tricycle.

The fine for violators of the rule prohibiting driving over a yellow box—the portion of the intersection marked with yellow lines that should be kept clear of all vehicles at all times—was also increased to P1,000 from P500 for the first offense.

“The new ordinance mandates that an intersection marked with a yellow box must always remain unobstructed and open for passage,” Binay said.

Disobedience to traffic control signals, on the other hand, will entail a fine of P2,500 and/or suspension of driver’s license and, for a public utility vehicle, suspension of Certificate of Public Convenience.

In a related provision, business establishments will also be required to refrain from serving liquors or intoxicating beverages to customers driving a vehicle. They are also required to post reminders against drunk driving in conspicuous areas in their place of business.

Establishments that fail to comply with this provision will be slapped with a P2,500 fine and suspension of business permit for the first offense.

The new ordinance will take effect on September 16.

The city government said provisions of the Makati Traffic Code not covered in the new amendments remain in effect.