Anti-Distracted Driving Act needs work, but enforceable —motorists, commuters

Motorists and commuters group welcomed Republic Act 10913 or the Anti-Distracted Driving Act as it took effect on Thursday albeit with a few provisions on its enforcement.

Jason Tulio, staff writer of Top Gear, said in an interview on News To Go that there are still "a lot of gray areas that need to be worked out" in the new law that prohibits motorists from texting, receiving or making a call using their mobile phones.

"From an enforcement point of view, I think it's quite difficult actually for the government to say eto pwede, eto bawal because there are a lot of gray areas," Tulio said.

"Hopefully, these kinks get worked out along the way because it's also a judgment call on the part of the enforcer if they pull you over to deem if nakaharang ba siya o hindi," he added.

National Center for Commuters Safety and Protection President Elvira Medina said in a Balitanghali interview that the law also requires the active participation of commuters and pedestrians, who must also abide by the law to avoid causing road accidents or attracting criminality.

"Kunan mo muna ng retrato tapos tsaka mo sabihin na, 'Kuya, nakunan kita na gumagamit ng cellphone. 'Wag mo nang ulitin kundi mapipilitan po akong ipadala itong ebidensya na ito sa LTO,'" Medina urged.

She added, "Kailangan dito po sa pagpapatupad po nito, hindi lang po natin asahan ang ating mga law enforcer. Ipakita po natin 'yung ating pagpapahalaga sa buhay, hindi lang ng para sa ating sarili kundi 'yung pagpapahalaga din at pagmamalasakit sa kapwa natin na commuter o pedestrian."

Responding to fears that the law will be used for kotong or other forms of bribery by enforcers, Medina said commuters must become proactive to prevent these acts of corruption.

"Du'n naman sa nagdududa kung ito ay magiging sanhi ng korapsyon, mamili kayo: 'Wag nating ipatupad ang batas at magkaroon tayo ng kamatayan dahil diyan sa paggamit ng gadgets o tayo mismo ay maging vigilant, maging mapagmasid tayo para ang mga korapsyon na 'yan ay 'di na mangyari," she explained.

The Anti-Distracted Driving Act took effect nationwide on Thursday and will be enforced by deputees from the Land Transportation Office, Philippine National Police, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, and local government units.

READ: Anti-Distracted Driving Act 101: 11 things you need to know

Under the act, motorists may only use their phones with the aid of hands-free functions to place emergency calls or for navigational purposes.

"Before you leave, before you take off, you set your destination, and you set your map to go and you drive, and you don't take your hands off the wheel to touch your phone along the way," Tulio said.

"The law doesn't prohibit them from using these apps. It's simply asking them to pull over to a safe place so they're not obstructing traffic, then they can make the changes they need to make, and then they can go," he added.

GMA News Online has reached out to Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) chair Martin Delgra III for his comment. —Rie Takumi/KG, GMA News