APART from implementing the new traffic law, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) will also implement today Republic Act 10666, or Children's Safety on Motorcycles Act of 2015.
“It shall be unlawful for any person to drive a motorcycle with a child on board on public roads where there is heavy volume of vehicles, there is a high density of fast moving vehicles or where a speed limit of more than 50 kilometers per hour (KPH) is imposed,” read the prohibition.
LTO 7 Director Alita Pulga, however, cited some exemptions to the law.
A child can ride a motorcycle if he/she can comfortably reach his/her feet on the standard foot peg of the motorcycle.
The child is also exempted if his/her arms can reach around and grasp the waist of the motorcycle driver.
The child must also wear a standard protective helmet referred to under Republic Act No. 10054, otherwise known as the Motorcycle Helmet Act of 2009.
On the implementation of Republic Act (RA) 10913, or the Anti-Distracted Driving Act yesterday, LTO 7 failed to apprehend any violator.
“Hopefully, we can apprehend drivers who will use mobile phone in the next few days,” LTO 7 Director Alita Pulga said.
RA 10913 was passed into law last July 21, 2016 but the LTO was only able implement it yesterday as the agency still has to wait for the implementing rules and regulations (IRR).
Distracted driving refers to the performance by a motorist of any motor vehicle in motion, or temporarily stopped at a traffic light or any intersection, where diplomatic, public or private.
This include using a mobile phone communication device to write, send or read a text-based communication, or to make or receive calls, and other similar acts.
Another violation is using an electronic entertainment or computing device to play, games, watch movies, surf the internet, compose messages, read e-books, perform calculation, and other similar acts.
Penalties for Violators of Republic Act 10913