“Fender bender” measure pushed to address traffic

CEBU, Philippines — After having sponsored the declaration of a traffic crisis in Cebu, Provincial Board Member Glenn Anthony Soco is now pushing for an ordinance that would require immediate extraction of vehicles involved in minor road accidents.

The proposed ordinance known as the Fender Bender Act is now pending before the committee on public services. The proposed ordinance defines fender bender as a minor collision between motor vehicles merely resulting in scratches, dents, paint damage, and minor suspensions to the vehicle’s body, etc.

 Under Soco’s proposed ordinance, the vehicles involved in minor accidents should be pulled out immediately after taking the necessary photos and video to avoid causing traffic obstruction.

On October 07, 2019, Soco also sponsored the resolution that declared traffic crisis in the Province of Cebu.

The declaration stemmed from the traffic congestion of the major thoroughfares that resulted in long hours of daily commute and land travel that have assumed the magnitude and degree of a crisis.

Soco cited the study conducted by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) which stated that the economic losses attributable to traffic reached P1.1 billion a day in Metro Cebu alone.

“Urgent measures are imperative to at least minimize if not to entirely eliminate traffic,” said Soco.

Soco pointed out that one of the factors that contribute to the worsening traffic situation in Metro Cebu is when two or more vehicles figure in a traffic accident in the highways that result to gridlocks, since, most, if not all, are not immediately pulled out of the road.

“The general public must not be made to suffer from accidents or incidents on the road which are merely inconsequential. Drivers of motor vehicles plying the roads are reminded to be at all times mindful of driving safely, comply with traffic rules and regulations and observe courtesy,” explained Soco.

JICA together with the Department of Transportation, in its The Project on Master Plan Study and Institutional Development on Urban Transport System in Metro Cebu, determined that an average of at least 1,235 road incidents are recorded in Metro Cebu every month.

Soco said measures must be made to improve and speed up response and how to quickly ease traffic after a road accident while efficiently preserving the facts and circumstances of a possible crime or incident.

“The changing times has made available advancement in technology as a promising tool to effectively help in resolving cases of traffic accidents/incidents,” he further said.

Soco also cited that under the Rules on Electronic Evidence (A.M. No. 01-7-01-SC), electronic document is admissible in evidence if it complies with the rules on admissibility prescribed by the Rules of Court and related laws and is authenticated in the manner prescribed by these Rules.

It also provides that traffic responder or investigator shall use the photographs or videos previously taken as basis in recording the facts and circumstances of the case or in settling the parties.

Parties may likewise gather video testimonies from eye witnesses from the accident or incident scene to strengthen the parties’ case in the event that an amicable settlement is not reached.

Said video testimonials may likewise be used as basis in recording the facts and circumstances of the case or in settling the parties. It has a proposed penalty of P1,000 for first offense, P3,000 for second offense, and P5,000 for the third offense.  FPL (FREEMAN)