A PROPOSED ordinance allowing motorists to ply different roads in the province of Benguet at certain speed limits is being pushed, citing speeding as the top contributor of road fatalities.
“Speeding is the most important contributor to road fatalities and is at the core of the road injury problem as it influences both crash risk,” stated in the ordinance authored by Board Member Jim Botiwey and James Guanso.
The provincial lawmakers added the proposed ordinance seeks to safeguard all road users within the province by promoting public health, convenience and safety.
Under the proposed ordinance, 80 kilometers per hour (kph) will be allowed to cars and motorcycles while trucks and buses are limited to 50 kph when plying national roads.
A limit of 70 kph for cars and motorcycles and 50 kph for trucks and buses will be imposed to national secondary roads while 60 kph (cars and motorcycles) and 50 kph (trucks ang buses) are set for national tertiary roads.
For provincial roads, a prescribed 40 kph (cars and motorcycles) and 30 kph (trucks and buses) speed limit will be imposed while 20 kph for cars, motorcycles, trucks and buses will be allowed for crowded streets.
Exemptions are made for ambulance responding to emergency cases.
A Benguet Traffic Management Committee (BTMC) will be established to implement functions to coordinate with Philippine National Police of each municipalities. The law enforcement officers will also be trained on the use of speed guns, speed enforcement cameras and other speed enforcement strategies in coordination with the Land Transportation Office.
Fines of P2,000 including a four-hour seminar on road safety will be enforced for first offense, P2,500 including four-hour seminar on road safety and three hours community service for second offense and P3,000 fine and impoundment of motor vehicle and imprisonment of not less than 30 days at the discretion of the court.
Also, the BTMC will be tasked to conduct a review of the speed limits provided in the proposed ordinance every three years to ensure the speed limits are appropriated for actual road conditions. The committee will also evaluate the impact of the ordinance following its implementation.
Across the country, the Philippine Statistics Authority recorded an average of 34 Filipinos die every day and over 100,000 injured due to road crashes.