DAVAO City Councilor Conrado Baluran slammed the removal of signboards of public utility vehicles (PUVs) under the implementation of the Anti-Distracted Driving Act (ADDA), saying that this brings confusion to the riding public in finding vehicles that will take them to their destination.
Baluran in a privilege speech on Tuesday, July 18, said that the commuters and public transport operators are now clamoring for a clarification of the application of the law.
“The intent of the law is to give the vehicle driver a clear line of sight by taking out unnecessary things on the dashboard or the windshield with will distract his focus as to avoid vehicular accident. However, it came to our knowledge that even route signages or signboards were required to be removed from the outermost portion of the public vehicle’s windshield. This brings much confusion to the riding public vehicle to take and bring them to their destination,” Baluran said.
He added that laws when carried to its extreme will at times crush its intent and becomes anti-people.
“Removal of signages or signboards clearly runs counter to the law’s intent,” Baluran said.
He added that while they welcome the law’s implementation, such law should be implemented with clarity for the people to obey without a room of doubt and leaves no confusion to attain an orderly society.
“For practical purposes, it is the recommendation of the representation to strike balance between the evil sought to be avoided within is the accident in the present case the interest of the commuting public. Thus, it is just appropriate to revisit or review Republic Act 10913 otherwise known as Anti-Distracted Driving Act,” Baluran added.
Baluran said that his recommendation for the review and revisit of ADDA be considered for first reading.
The recently implemented ADDA, prohibits private and public vehicle drivers from holding their electronic devices while they are driving, whether the vehicle is stopped in traffic or in motion, except in cases of an emergency.
In the revised implementing rules and guidelines provides that gadgets are allowed in the identified “safe zone.”
The “safe zone” is only up to 4 inches from the vehicle dashboard. Anything beyond the said distance will be part of the "line of sight," where gadgets and objects are prohibited.
A dash cam is however allowed as long as it is placed behind the rearview mirror.
It can be observed that in Davao City majority of the PUV removed any signages in front of the vehicles, while some came up with a much more creative means like putting the signboards in other parts of the front of the vehicle. (KVC)