Trillanes bats for speed limit to utility vehicles to lessen Phl deaths and injuries

SENATE OFFICE, Manila, April 28, 2011-To lessen the number of deaths and injuries on the roads due to over speeding, Senator Antonio “Sonny” F. Trillanes IV filed a bill that would require on-board speed-limiting devices for all public utility vehicles (PUVs) where he believes that to have a speed limiting device fitted in their vehicles it would help to reduce speed-related fatal accidents which the number of victim continues to rise over the years.

The senator sponsored Senate Bill No. 2790 otherwise known as the proposed speed Limiters Act of 2011, stating that speed-limiting devices could help save lives since it would limit the speed on PUVs, which are most likely to break
speed limits on fast roads.

Trillanes strongly recommended that legislation obliging operators of PUVs to have that kind of device will ensure safe to all passengers, operators and drivers where 78 percent of the population rely on buses, jeepneys, taxis, trains and tricyles for mobility, and 44 percent of road accidents caused by speeding.

“It is very alarming that World Health Organization (WHO) reported that 2.4 million fatalities died due to road accidents,” Trillanes said, adding that local studies revealed that in Manila alone, almost 50 road accidents occur every day.

Trillanes stressed that by enforcing strict compliance with the mandated speed limits in various streets, highways and thoroughfares, vehicular accidents caused by speeding will be reduced and that lives will be saved.

“I hope that this proposed bill will be supported by my fellow solon in the Senate,” Trillanes said.

Trillanes cited that the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) imposed 60 kilometer per hour speed limit on the 12.4 kilometers thoroughfare which resulted to the dramatic reduction of road accidents along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City, adding that almost every week,  Commonwealth Avenue previously gained notoriety as a killer highway because of the great number of fatal accidents taking place on the said road; thus, the Senator believes that installing on-board speed-limiting devices on PUVs would be a step towards the right direction to duplicate this experience not only in Metro Manila but across the country.

Trillanes’ bill of PUVs will be required to bear the cost of the speed-limiting devices where the Senator said that the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) will be tasked to supervise and to inspect the setting up of speed-limiting devices to comply with speed limits corresponding to the maximum allowed in the route plied by a particular PUV.

“DOTC will also be authorized to subsidize deserving PUV owners in the procurement and installation of on-board speed-limiting devices,” Trillanes said, adding that the bill provides that no PUV shall be registered by the Land Transportation Office (LTO) without a properly calibrated speed-limiting device installed.

The bill stated that a fine of P30, 000 and a jail term of up to three years shall be imposed upon those who will be found to have tampered with a duly installed and set speed limiter.

The DOTC, in coordination with the LTO and the Land Transportation Franchise Regulatory Board will be tasked of the proposed measure in the formulation of the guidelines, rules and regulations of the implementing provisions. (Jason de Asis)