Cutting overspeeders down to size

We've had one too many vehicular accidents caused by reckless drivers with absolutely no  respect for human life and who put their passengers at grave risk by overspeeding on our thoroughfares.

      

Such wanton disregard for public safety could be a thing of the past with the recent passage by the House of Representatives of a measure requiring all public utility and certain types of vehicles to install speed limiters to address the problem of overspeeding, a major cause of traffic accidents.

      

House Bill 5911, to be known as “Speed Limiters Act,” requires all public utility vehicles (PUVs), shuttle services, closed vans, haulers, cargo trailers and tanker trucks to install a standard speed limiter before they can register at the Land Transportation Office (LTO) or be given franchise by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).

      

With the installation of a speed limiter in public utility vehicles and multi-wheeler cargo trucks, every driver will have to drive under a calibrated and calculated speed, thus reducing speed-related accidents.

      

Under the measure, the driver, operator or owner of vehicles with non-functioning, tampered or without the speed limiter with a fine of P50,000.

      

Aside from the fine, the driver’s license shall be suspended for one month for the first offense, three-month suspension of driver’s license for second offense, and revocation of license for third offense.

      

Likewise, the franchise of the motor vehicle of the offending owner or operator of the vehicle shall be suspended for three months for first offense, six months for the second offense, and suspension of operation for one year.

      

Any person guilty of tampering the speed limiter shall suffer a penalty of Imprisonment of not more than three years and a fine of P30,000.

      

Congress is on the right track in passing this bill on public safety.  While we cannot prevent maniacal overspeeders and homicidal drivers from getting behind the wheel, we can at least prevent them from  careening  down the streets at murderous speeds and killing or maiming those who find themselves at the wrong place at the wrong time. –End-

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