An Act Defining and Penalizing Distracted Driving

Sixteenth Congress
Third Regular Session

Begun and held in Metro Manila, on Monday, the twenty-seventh day of July, two thousand fifteen.

REPUBLIC ACT No. 10913

An Act Defining and Penalizing Distracted Driving

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippine Congress Assembled:

Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Anti-Distracted Driving Act".

Section 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the State to safeguard its citizenry from the ruinous and extremely injurious effects of vehicular accidents.

While the State recognizes the vital roles of information and communications technology in nation-building, the State also takes cognizance of the inimical consequences of the unrestrained use of electronic mobile devices on road safety as to cause its regulation.

Section 3. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act:

Section 4. Distracted Driving. - Subject to the qualifications in Sections 5 and 6 of this Act, distracted driving refers to the performance by a motorist of any of the following acts in a motor vehicle in motion or temporarily stopped at a red light, whether diplomatic, public or private, which are hereby declared unlawful:

Section 5. Extent of Coverage -

Section 6. Exemptions. - The provisions of this Act shall not apply to the following:

Section 7. Nationwide Public Information Campaign. - The DOTC-LTO, in coordination with the Philippine Information Agency (PIA), the Department of Education (DepEd), the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Philippine National Police (PNP) and private agencies and organizations shall undertake a nationwide information, education and communication (IEC) campaign for a period of six (6) months from the effectivity of this Act.

Section 8. Penalties. - Any person who shall violate any provision of this Act shall be penalized with:

The foregoing penalties shall be imposed without prejudice to other liabilities under the Revised Penal Code or any special law, arising out or on occasion of the herein prohibited acts.

Section 9. Liability of Owner and/or Operator of the Vehicle Driven by the Offender. - The owner and/or operator of the vehicle driven by the offender shall be directly and principally held liable together with the offender for the fine unless he or she is able to convincingly prove that he or she has exercised extraordinary diligence in the selection and supervision of his or her drivers in general and the offending driver in particular.

This section shall principally apply to the owners and/or operators of public utility vehicles and commercial vehicles such as delivery vans, cargo trucks, container trucks, school and company buses, hotel transports, cars or vans for rent, taxi cabs, and the like.

Section 10. Enforcement and Assistance by Other Agencies. - The Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA), the PNP and other concerned government agencies and instrumentalities shall be responsible for the enforcement of the foregoing provisions and shall render such assistance as may be required by the DOTC-LTO in order to effectively implement the provisions of this Act.

Section 11. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The DOTC-LTO shall promulgate the necessary implementing rules and regulations within sixty (60) days from the effectivity of this Act.

Section 12. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to, or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly.

Section 13. Separability Clause. - If, for any reason, any part or provision of this Act is declared invalid, such declaration shall not affect the other provisions of this Act.

Section 14. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,

FELICIANO BELMONTE, JR.
Speaker of the House of Representatives

FRANKLIN M. DRILON
President of the Senate

This Act was passed by the Senate of the Philippines as Senate Bill No. 3211 on May 30, 2016 and adopted by the House of Representatives as an amendment to House Bill No. 4531 on June 6, 2016.

MARILYN B. BARUA-YAP
Secretary General
House of Representatives

OSCAR G. YABES
Secretary of the Senate

Approved: July 21, 2016

(Sgd.) BENIGNO S. AQUINO, III
President of the Philippines