Regulation of driving schools in the city urged by LIGA President

June 4, 2017 Opinion Sideglance

Heeding the clamour of concerned residents and motorists in the city, LIGA President and ex- oficio City Councilor Michael Lawana has filed a proposed legislative measure seeking to regulate driving schools in Baguio particularly in giving lessons and by student drivers in practical driving instructions and/or lessons along the various streets and major thoroughfares in the city.

In his proposed ordinance councilor Lawana explained that the use of major thoroughfares by different driving schools in giving driving lessons to student drivers may pose danger to life, limb and property of drivers, motorists, pedestrians and passers-by. He also pointed out that the slow paced driving of student drivers utilizing the city streets and roads causes traffic to slow down to a crawl and every following vehicle must experience delay in some way which also causes traffic jams, traffic congestion and ultimately traffic woes.

It was observed that South Drive, Leonard Wood Road, Outlook Drive Street, Loakan Road and Happy Hallow-Kadaclan Circumferential Road are major roads usually used by these driving schools in providing lessons to their clients/student drivers involved in practical driving instructions.

Under the said proposed ordinance it shall be mandatory for all driving schools in the city to comply with the rules, regulations, procedures and standards for accreditation requirements of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) pursuant to Executive Order Numbered 125-A series of 1987 particularly paragraph (q) Section 5 thereof which prescribes the rules, regulations, procedures and standards for the accreditation of driving schools nationwide.

Also, contained in the proposed measure are the following prohibitions: (a) Driving schools providing lessons and instructions and student drivers with student driver’s permit and taking driving lessons and instructions shall not be allowed to pass through and use the major streets for the purpose of practical driving lessons and instructions from six o’clock in the morning up to eight o’clock in the evening from Monday to Sunday; (b) Driving school vehicles shall be painted on both sides with the name of the driving school, its address and telephone or cellphone numbers in addition to a caution sign of the danger of a student driver placed on the front hood and on the back compartment cover of such vehicle. The said sign and caution attached or installed on the car shall not be removable and; (c) Practical driving lessons and driving practice must be conducted in a privately owned race circuit or test track of the driving school during the mandated prohibited time.

For violation of the provisions of the said proposed ordinance the following penalties are to be imposed: for the first offense a fine of three hundred pesos while on the second offense the violator shall be fined five hundred pesos and for the third offense a fine of one thousand five hundred pesos shall be imposed along with the revocation of the business permit of the involved driving school together with the confiscation of the student driver’s license of the student driver.

The said proposed ordinance is expected to be deliberated by the city council on Monday for First reading and referral to the appropriate committee for study and recommendation.