Anti-Distracted Driving Act

By: Atty. Karissa Faye Tolentino-Maxino

What does Anti-Distracted Driving Act prohibit?

The Anti-Distracted Driving Act, officially recorded as Republic Act No. 10913, is
a law in the Philippines that prohibits distracted driving by restricting and penalizing the use of
mobile phones and other electronics devices while driving on any public thoroughfare, highway
or street in the Philippines.

How does this Act define "distracted driving"?

The republic act defines "distracted driving" as "using mobile communications device to
write, send, or read a text-based communication or to make or receive calls" or "using an
electronic entertainment or computing device to play games, watch movies, surf the internet,
compose messages, read e-books, perform calculations, and other similar acts" while behind the
wheel of a moving vehicle or while temporarily stopped at a red light.

What does this Act cover?

The law covers all private and public vehicles, including agricultural machines,
construction equipments, public utility buses and jeepneys, taxicabs,
motorcycles, tricycles, pedicabs, kuligligs and carriages.

Does this Act prohibit hands-free functions of gadgets?

No, this Act does not prohibit hands-free functions of gadgets, such as speaker phones,
provided that these do not block their line of sight.

What are the Government Agencies that are tasked to regulate and implement the provisions of
this Act?
The implementing agency is the Land Transportation Office (LTO) under the Department
of Transportation that was tasked to promulgate the necessary implementing rules and
regulations within 60 days from the effectivity of the Act. It also ordered the LTO, the Philippine
Information Agency, the Department of Education, the Department of the Interior and Local
Government and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to undertake a nationwide information,
education and communication campaign for a period of 6 months from the effectivity of the Act.
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, the PNP and other law enforcement agencies
are required to enforce the act.