‘Distracted’ is the new word on the street

I wrote in a previous column how I was happy about the law preventing drivers from messaging or using their mobile phones while driving. I stand by that because so many accidents have happened due to texting or checking Facebook or other social media. In fact, it is quickly rising up in statistics all over the world as causing as many road accidents as drunk driving. We all know that something needed to be done. It’s important to keep the roads safe for everyone.

However, the Anti-Distracted Driving Law has left motorists confused and even angry because it once again applies a law in a sweeping matter without clarifying the rules and regulations thereby leaving it open to interpretation by Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) officers on the streets. This pretty much gives them the go-ahead to capture any driver they consider to be “distracted.”

I think off the bat the one thing that is confusing drivers most is the “line of sight” debate. After all, navigational apps and music playing apps should not be considered bad if the mobile device is properly mounted and not in the hands of the driver. But now, drivers are told that the device must be below the dashboard – well below the windshield. I’m curious as to the logic behind this? Obviously anything in the middle of the windshield and in full view of the driver will be distracting, but does that include mobile devices mounted off to the side with the top only slightly over the dashboard?

Personally, I think that if you have drivers place their mobile phones with navigational tools too far down then drivers will have to look down to verify a turn or a street name only making it worse for their line of sight. I read about a case wherein the phone’s top was slightly above the dashboard, but wasn’t even pointing at the driver as it was being used as a music player, but the driver was still pulled over just the same. I find it strange that the law lumps all of these offenses together. Personally I think the fines should be higher for motorists who are directly using their devices (i.e. making a call or sending a message etc) as opposed to those who failed to position their devices exactly right on the dashboard.

I understand why the Department of Land Transportation (DOTr) and MMDA want to get mobile devise use on the road under control. They just have to be clearer and more careful when it comes to implementation. Words are easily misunderstood. I think it would help if they released clear and concise guidelines – with infographics or photos if possible to give motorists a very clear understanding of what is and isn’t allowed. I think this is the best possible thing they can do so that driver’s can keep copies of these infographics or photos in their car to show to officers who pull them over to prove they aren’t breaking the law. At least this way the source is directly from their DOTr or the MMDA.

Another question that has been on the minds of motorists is implementation of the law. Obviously since the law just passed implementation right now is intense. I read that over 300 “distracted” drivers were caught in the first few days of implementation alone. This is not limited to mobile phone usage but also to other activities like putting on makeup, reading, watching TV, and etc. In fact, even using mobile devices while stuck in standstill traffic is no longer allowed. With over 300 captures it is obvious that the MMDA certainly set out to implement the law in the first few days. The question is, for how long?

I’ve mentioned before that Filipinos have such a short-term memory. We always seem to have a new law “du jour” that is implemented with a passion and then eventually fizzles out. This was true for the motorcycle and bus lane and for the seat belt law. While some of these are implemented occasionally (the bus lane hardly ever) they seem to have faded away over time, which is sad because buses and motorcycles zigzagging their way through major thoroughfares cause a fair share of accidents and collisions. The only road law implemented fiercely seems to be number coding – something which they are also considering changing.

Personally, I am all for road safety. We all have family on the roads in the country at any given time and we want to be assured that they are safe. But I also believe that fixing up our roads is something that should be done with a full-scale plan and not just in parts. We need to create a better road system throughout instead of being reactionary. In the Philippines, our lawmakers tend to churn out laws in reaction to things getting out of hand instead of foreseeing potential problems and warding them off at the pass.

And if we’re really being honest, driver safety on the road is just one small aspect of the entire picture. We are long overdue for an overhaul of the whole system starting with infrastructure and development. Potholes, cracks in the pavement, and more also cause their fair share of road accidents and damage. This is something we battle yearly because once the rains come the roads get all messed up again. You’d think we’d realize that by now and invest in better construction and materials. Instead we are left repairing roads yearly – spending more and causing more traffic. The same goes for broken stop signs and road signage, lights on the fritz, and so much more. And of course, traffic is a major cause of road problems including accidents, fights, and etc. Better city planning and more effective design and creation of roads and pathways is necessary if we have any chance to alleviating the motorist’s real woes.

In the end, while measures like the Anti-Distracted Driving Law can help, we need a lot more than that to fix the problems on the streets. And I think it’s time for the government to address the big issues instead of putting bandaids on all the little ones. I personally think that if we can somehow fix our roads and alleviate traffic than drivers would happily put away their mobile devices on their own because they could get to their destinations with a little more ease.