Anti-impaired driving bill pushed in House

The Akbayan party-list has filed a bill that seeks to lower the threshold for drunk and drugged driving so that even "tipsy" drivers would be deterred from getting on the driver's seat.

"Three out of 10 road-related accidents na nagreresulta sa kamatayan or death ay dahil nga sa usapin ng pagkalasing o intoxication. So with this, sa panukalang batas na ito, gusto natin na kahit 'yung tipsy pa lang ay ipagbawal na yung pagmamaneho nang sa ganoon ay matiyak 'yung kaligtasan ng ating mga drivers at iba pang mga nasa kalsada. Kasi siyempre gusto natin makauwi ang lahat na ligtas sa kanilang mga tahanan," Akbayan party-list Representative Perci Cendaña said.

(Three out of 10 road-related accidents that result in death are related to drunkenness or intoxication. So with this proposed measure, we want drivers who are even just tipsy to be banned from driving. This will ensure the safety of other drivers and people on the road. Of course, we want everybody go home safely to their homes.)

Cendaña cited a World Health Organization (WHO) report, which states that road crashes are the leading causes of death among those aged 15 to 29 years.

In the Philippines, from 2015 to 2019, 5,213 out of 18,735 deaths due to road crashes were attributed to alcohol.

Cendaña said the threshold that will define "tipsy" would be determined after the House of Representatives conducts hearings on the proposed measure.

"Malalaman natin 'yan sa blood alcohol concentration. This is something that has to be determined at kailangang pagtulungan natin ng mga eksperto. Pero generally, yung 0.05 na blood alcohol concentration, generally across different areas in the world, 'yun 'yung medyo within legal limits," he said.

(This will be determined through their blood alcohol concentration. This is something that has to be determined by working closely with experts. Generally, the 0.05 blood alcohol concentration is the standard, but the legal limits are different across different areas in the world.)

Cendaña added, "So anything above 0.05 blood alcohol concentration, dapat ay hindi na pagmanehuhin kasi impaired na nga 'yung ating driver. Hindi pa naman lasing na lasing, hindi pa drunk talaga, pero impaired na siya," the congressman said.

(So anybody with a blood alcohol concentration higher than 0.05 should not be allowed to drive because he or she is impaired. Even if he or she is not really drunk, that person is impaired.)

The bill also calls for the acquisition and deployment of more breathalyzers, and setting up of checkpoints.

"'Pag naka-acquire na tayo ng enough breathalyzers, puwedeng sa mga ganitong panahon o kahit sa mga panahon ng payday, magdagdag tayo ng mechanisms like checkpoints, 'no? Nang sa ganoon ay makita natin, matulungan natin 'yung ating mga kababayan to determine yung kanilang blood alcohol content at saka para mapigilan 'yung mga tipsy drivers," Cendaña said.

(When we acquire enough breathalyzers, we can use these during these times like paydays. Mechanisms like checkpoints can also be added. These will help our countrymen determine their blood alcohol content and prevent tipsy drivers [from driving].)

"Kailangan din sa mga toll gates magkaroon ng mga random breathalyzer test sa ating mga kababayan na nagmamaneho. So hanggang dumating 'yung panahon na 'yung ating mga kababayan will be conscious na 'oo nga, baka hindi ako puwedeng magmaneho kasi baka ma-random check ako," he added.

(Toll gates also need to be able to perform random breathalyzer tests on drivers. This practice should be done so that later on, our countrymen will be conscious and remind themselves that perhaps they should not drive because they might be subjected to a random check.)

Cendaña also called on private establishments to procure their own breathalyzers and to conduct campaigns against drunk, tipsy, or drugged driving, as well as providing services such as transportation services booking for their customers who should not be allowed to drive.

In 2022, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) vowed to heighten its policy against drunk driving to prevent accidents during the Holiday season. This would be done through the strict enforcement of Republic Act 10856 or the Anti-Drunk and Drugged Driving Act of 2013.

Data from the LTO Law Enforcement Service showed that the agency responded to 546 road accidents from January to October 2022—nearly eight times the 73 road accidents recorded in January to December the previous year.

Of the 546 road mishaps, 489 drivers tested positive for alcoholic intoxication—a sharp rise compared to 68 in 2021. — VDV, GMA Integrated News