A NEW law penalizing tailgating has been filed by the Baguio City Council.
Motorists may now be fined when tailgating emergency vehicles such as ambulances, fire trucks, and police vehicles.
Filed by Councilor Elaine Sembrano, the act to tailing emergency vehicles has been deemed detrimental in the quest to save lives.
“It is but proper to penalize tailgating to prevent loss of life, limbs and destruction of property arising from the reckless and careless driving manners of a few,” said Sembrano.
Sembrano added it has been observed when an emergency vehicle passes through roads, some drivers take advantage of the situation and tailgate the emergency vehicle, to make it appear that they are with the emergency team in order to break conventional traffic rules to reach their destination in the fastest possible time or just simply to avoid traffic, as experienced during long weekends in the city.
The proposed ordinance, if passed will prohibit drivers to tailgate emergency vehicles during emergencies.
Tailgating is defined to act of driving behind emergency vehicles, not leaving sufficient distance to stop without causing a collision if the vehicle in front stops suddenly.
A fine of P3,000 will be imposed for violators with the Baguio City Police Office tasked to enforce and implement the law.