Good news for Filipino children: they are now barred from riding motorcycles along national and provincial highways.
President Aquino has signed into law Republic Act 10666, the Children’s Safety on Motorcycles Act of 2015, which is a consolidation of Senate Bill 2488 and House of Representatives Bill 4462.
More specifically, the law states that it is unlawful for a motorcycle rider to have a child on board on public roads having heavy volume of vehicles, high density of fast moving vehicles or where the speed limit of more than 60 kilometers per hour is imposed.
There are only three exemptions to the rule which should be met at the same time: first, the child’s feet can comfortably reach the standard foot peg of the motorcycle: second, the child’s arms can reach around and grasp the waist of the rider and third, the child is wearing a standard protective helmet.
The prohibition would not also apply in cases of emergency, such as when the child to be transported requires immediate medical attention.
Violators will be fined PhP 3,000 for the first offense, PhP 5,000 for the second and PhP 10,000 for the third offense. The driver’s license will also be suspended for a month, while the license of fourth offenders will be automatically revoked.
Sen. Vicente Sotto III introduced and sponsored the bill in the Senate.
"Reckless endangerment by definition is the act of doing something with the full knowledge that it is potentially endangering the life or safety of someone," Sotto said.
"Children are extremely vulnerable and at risk when riding at the backseat of a motorcycle," the Senator added. "Because of their tender age, their reflexes are different from adults and they may not be able to react rightly to some situations, thus their reactions may result in a situation that could cause them to fall and suffer injury or even death."
President Aquino has signed into law Republic Act 10666, the Children’s Safety on Motorcycles Act of 2015, which is a consolidation of Senate Bill 2488 and House of Representatives Bill 4462.
More specifically, the law states that it is unlawful for a motorcycle rider to have a child on board on public roads having heavy volume of vehicles, high density of fast moving vehicles or where the speed limit of more than 60 kilometers per hour is imposed.
There are only three exemptions to the rule which should be met at the same time: first, the child’s feet can comfortably reach the standard foot peg of the motorcycle: second, the child’s arms can reach around and grasp the waist of the rider and third, the child is wearing a standard protective helmet.
The prohibition would not also apply in cases of emergency, such as when the child to be transported requires immediate medical attention.
Violators will be fined PhP 3,000 for the first offense, PhP 5,000 for the second and PhP 10,000 for the third offense. The driver’s license will also be suspended for a month, while the license of fourth offenders will be automatically revoked.
Sen. Vicente Sotto III introduced and sponsored the bill in the Senate.
"Reckless endangerment by definition is the act of doing something with the full knowledge that it is potentially endangering the life or safety of someone," Sotto said.
"Children are extremely vulnerable and at risk when riding at the backseat of a motorcycle," the Senator added. "Because of their tender age, their reflexes are different from adults and they may not be able to react rightly to some situations, thus their reactions may result in a situation that could cause them to fall and suffer injury or even death."