Benguet town’s motorcycle safety law to be enacted

October 9, 2017 Provincial

LA TRINIDAD, BENGUET – This town’s safety guidelines for motorcycle and scooter riders will soon be institutionalized.
This is after the Sangguniang Bayan (SB) approved on second reading the proposed “La Trinidad Motorcycle and Scooter Safety Ordinance” authored by councilor Roderick Awingan. 
Under the ordinance, no person shall ride a motorcycle or scooter within the municipality without a valid driver’s license issued by the Land Transportation Office (LTO). Unregistered motorcycles or scooters are prohibited. Drivers and passengers must also wear helmet at all times when driving. Drivers must also strictly follow the maximum speed limit of 40km per hour but not less than the reasonable and proper driving.
“We have to set and institutionalize these safety guidelines to lessen motorcycle accident. The high numbers of motorcycle accident is not only shown in various studies but it is actually happening. And La Trinidad is not an exception because majority of traffic accidents involve motorcycles,” Awingan said.
Compared to those of four-wheeled vehicles, the driver and passenger of a motorcycle are more prone to accidents. They have twice the risk because they are exposed, the councilor explained.
“It is only proper and appropriate for the municipality to come up with this safety measure because we’re not only instilling self-discipline to motorist but also we are saving lives, limbs and properties,” he said.
If it passes the approval of SB members, the ordinance also mandates all riders to take one back rider at a time. Both driver and the passenger cannot ride motorcycle when they are intoxicated or under the influence of narcotic drugs. Furthermore, the motorcycles must have unbroken side mirrors and audible horn. The headlights and taillights must also be in good working conditions.
“If all motorcycle riders will religiously follow these guidelines, their family members can expect them to come home safe and unharmed. Now for our local government units and local police officers, it is now easier for them to implement the law and apprehend violators since this is an adaptation of the national laws,” Awingan said.
The local legislator explained that LTO is currently implementing Administrative Order No. 2008 series of 2015 which provides some rules and regulations for the use and operations of motorcycles on highways, but the local police and the local government units cannot act fast because they are not deputized. But with this local version of the national law including the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic, the local police and LGU can act faster without being deputized.
When approved, the ordinance will be implemented by the traffic management section of the La Trinidad municipal police station and violators will be penalized accordingly. Any person driving without a driver’s license, helmet and registration of motorcycle, will pay P500 per violation. For these three violations, the same offense will not prejudice LTO deputized law enforcers to file separate violations pursuant to their mandates in the implementation of laws and regulations of their office.
For other provisions of this ordinance, any person who willfully violates the law will be fined P500, P1,000 and 1,500 for their first, second and third offense. DIONISIO B. DENNIS JR. / ABN