Speed limit for vehicles in Baguio City okayed

BAGUIO CITY -- The city council approved on third and final reading a proposed ordinance providing speed limits for all motor vehicles along city roads, penalties for violations, collection of road crash data and appropriating funds for the purpose.

The ordinance co-authored by Councilors Faustino A. Olowan, Michael L. Lawana and Benny Bomogao stated the measure is enacted to safeguard all road users within the city and to promote public health, safety and convenience.

The ordinance shall apply to all motor vehicles within, or passing through the city and drivers and owners of the same shall strictly adhere to limits.

Under the approved ordinance, no person shall drive a motor vehicle on any road in the city at a speed greater than that permitted by the measure, no person shall drive a motor vehicle at a speed that is not appropriate for the width, traffic, grades, crossing, curvatures, visibility or other conditions of the road, as to endanger the safety of road users and their property and no person shall drive a motor vehicle at a speed greater than that which will permit the vehicle to stop within the assured clear distance ahead to prevent a road crash.

Cars, motorcycles and similar motor vehicles shall have a maximum speed of 80 kilometers per hour along national primary roads while trucks, buses, tricycles and similar motor vehicles shall a maximum speed of 50 kilometers along the same roads.

On the other hand, cars, motorcycles and similar motor vehicles shall have a speed limit of 70 kilometers per hour when traversing national secondary roads while trucks, buses, tricycles and similar motor vehicles travelling along same roads shall have a speed limit of 50 kilometers per hour. On national tertiary roads, cars, motorcycles and other similar motor vehicles shall have a speed limit of 60 kilometers per hour while trucks, buses, tricycles and other similar vehicles will maintain the 50-kilometer per hour speed limit.

Cars, motorcycles and other similar vehicles will have a speed limit of 40 kilometers per hour along provincial roads while trucks, buses, tricycles and other similar vehicles will have a speed limit of only 30 kilometers per hour.

The speed limit of all types of motor vehicles will be reduced to 20 kilometers per hour when travelling along barangay roads that are considered to be crowded.

However, the ordinance provided that the prescribed speed limit shall not apply to drivers or owners of motor vehicles ferrying a physician or health workers who is responding to an emergency call; responding to a road crash in times of emergency, bringing a wounded or injured or sick person for emergency treatment; belonging to the armed forces while in use for official purposes in times of riot, insurrection or invasion; pursuing criminal elements and officially operating a motor vehicle of any fire department responding to emergency.

Motorists found violating the provisions of the ordinance shall be fined P500 to P2,000 and shall undergo 4 hours seminar on road safety on first offense; P1,000 to P2,500, undergo 4 hours seminar on road safety and 3 hours community service for second-time offenders and P1,500 to P3,000, impoundment of motor vehicle and imprisonment of not less than 30 days at the discretion of the court for third time offenders. -- Dexter A. See