Agencies aim for stricter enforcement of speed limits nationwide

Government agencies and a non-government organization are aiming for safer roads through the stricter enforcement of speed limits. 

According to a report by Saleema Refran on 24 Oras on Thursday, the Department of Transportation, the Land Transportation Office, and public interest law group ImagineLaw signed a memorandum of understanding on training traffic enforcers to enforce speed limits. 

"Speed kills. In the Philippines in the last years or so, annually 12,000 people die. That's around 33 in a day," said DOTr Undersecretary for Road Transport Mark De Leon.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, road accident fatalities nationwide nearly doubled in 11 years, from 6,869 in 2006 to 11,360 in 2017.

"Speeding ang pangunahing dahilan, 30 percent,” added ImagineLaw executive director Sophia Monica San Luis of the number, adding that 50 percent of vehicle collisions are aggravated by speeding.

Speed limits according to road type

The Joint Memorandum Circular 2018-001 of the DOTr, the Department of Public Works and Highways, and the Department of the Interior and Local Government mandates local government units to classify the roads in their jurisdictions and set the proper speed limit for them as prescribed by Republic Act No. 4136, or the Land Transportation and Traffic Code:

• For “open country roads” such as provincial roads with no blind corners and no nearby habitations, the speed limit is 80 kilometers per hour (kph) for passenger cars and motorcycles and 50 kph for trucks and buses.
• For through streets, or boulevards and main roads near homes or establishments, the speed limit is 40 kph for passenger cars and motorcycles and 30 kph for trucks and buses.
• For city and municipal streets not designated through streets, with light traffic, the speed limit is 30 kph for passenger cars and motorcycles and 30 kph for trucks and buses.
• For crowded streets with blind corners as well as school zones, the speed limit is 20 kph for passenger cars and motorcycles and 20 kph for trucks and buses.

Furthermore, according to the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority's (MMDA) Regulation 19-00, the speed limit on EDSA, C-5, Roxas Boulevard, and circumferential and radial roads is 60 kph.

According to the Toll Regulatory Board, the maximum speed limit for Class 1 vehicles (cars, jeepneys, vans, pick-ups and motorcycles) is 100 kph on the North Luzon Expressway (NLEx), the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx), the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEx), the Manila-Cavite Toll Expressway (CAVITEx), the South Luzon Expressway (SLEx), the Metro Manila Skyway, the Muntinlupa-Cavite Expressway (MCX), and the Southern Tagalog Arterial Road (STAR) Tollway.

For buses and trucks, the maximum speed limit on these roads is 80 kph, except for TPLEx and SCTEx, where it remains 100 kph.

The speed limit on the NAIA Expressway (NAIAX) is 60 kph.

When speed limits are observed, "ang laki agad nung ibinabawas ng bilang ng namamatay,” said San Luis.

“Halimbawa 'yung Davao, the first time they attempted to enforce speed limits, 60 percent agad ng fatal crashes ang naibawas niya. Sa Tupi [in South Cotabato], nag-zero in just one year,” she added.

"Once na makakuha tayo ng datos na marami pa palang walang mga local traffic ordinance na nagsasabi kung ano 'yung mga speed limits, we'll just send them memorandum circulars or memorandums for them to enact local ordinances on traffic management; kasama na 'yung speed limits,” said DILG Undersecretary for Operations Epimaco Densing III.

Fines

The LTO, however, acknowledged that it will be difficult to enforce speed limits.

"Aaminin ko sa inyo na halimbawa, 'pag gabi, iilan lang ang aming naide-deploy at nagbabantay doon sa mga lansangan...speed guns, nasabi ko kanina wala kami niyan, kaya naghahanap na kami ng mas mura, kasi very limited ang pondo namin niyan,” said LTO chief Edgar Galvante.

According to the LTO, a driver exceeding the speed limit automatically breaks two laws: disregarding traffic signs, and speeding.

The fine for disregarding traffic signs is P1,078, while the fine for speeding is P2,078. Repeat offenders may have their licenses suspended or revoked. — BM, GMA News