Speed limiters in buses, cargo trucks sought in Congress

MANILA, Philippines - In a bid to reduce the number of fatal road accidents in the country, a legislator has proposed putting speed limiters in all passenger buses and cargo trucks.

Parañaque City Rep. Eric Olivarez filed House Bill 3924 that mandates the installation of electronic speed limiters to all public utility buses and multi-wheeler cargo trucks.

Olivarez said a significant portion of traffic accidents recorded this year was caused by violations of the speed limit.

"In fact two incidents have been recorded within just a span of less than two months, December 16, 2013 - February 7, 2014, which resulted in the death of several bus passengers," Olivarez said.

He said that by installing a speed limiter in every public bus and multi-wheeler cargo truck, every driver will be forced to run under a calibrated/calculated speed and necessarily, speed-related accidents will surely be diminished.

"This bill represents the vigilance of our government with respect to preserving the right of its people to life and property," Olivarez said.

Under the bill, a speed limiter with a programmed maximum speed limit of 80 kilometers per hour shall be installed in every public utility bus traversing any route in the country.

A speed limiter with a programmed maximum speed limit of 50 kilometers per hour shall also be installed in every multi-wheeler truck regardless of the weight of cargoes they carry, or of whether or not they are empty.

The bill requires all applicants of a franchise and/or license to operate public utility buses and/or multi-wheeler cargo trucks, or the renewal thereof as the case may be, to install the speed limiters as provided. Failure to comply with this requirement shall be a sufficient ground for the denial of the application.

A fine of P200,000 and suspension or revocation of franchise and/or Certificate of Registration of buses and cargo trucks shall be imposed upon bus operators or truck owners who fail to install and maintain accurately programmed and untampered speed limiters.

The bill also states that any person found to have deliberately tampered with the speed limiters as provided under this Act shall be imprisoned for a period of not less than one year but not more than five years and shall pay a fine of not less than P10,000 up to P50,000 at the discretion of the court.

For those public utility buses and/or multi-wheeler cargo trucks which met any kind of vehicular accident and which was later found out to have tampered or had no speed limiters installed when the said accident happened, the driver shall suffer the penalty of five years of imprisonment for violation of the Act without prejudice to the filing of a separate criminal case of Reckless Imprudence or other quasi-offenses against him.

On the other hand, the bus or truck operator or proprietor shall be fined with not less than P200,000, separate from and in addition to the fine imposed for failure to install speed limiters.