TRAFFIC LAWS

LEGAL BASES OF
TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT
 RA. No. 4136
The Land Transportation and Traffic Code

It is an act that compiles the laws in relation to land

transportation and traffic rules in the Philippines, particularly
the registration and operation of motor vehicles and the
licensing of its owners, dealers, conductors, and drivers.

It laid the groundwork for all the traffic regulations we have

today.

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RA. No. 4136

What is MOTOR VEHICLE?

Any vehicle propelled by any power
other than muscular power using the
public highways, but except road
rollers, trolley cars, street-sweepers,
sprinklers, lawn mowers, bulldozers,
graders, fork-lifts, amphibian trucks,
and cranes if not used on public
highways, vehicles which run only on
rails or tracks, and tractors, trailers and
traction engines of all kinds used
exclusively for agricultural purposes.
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RA. No. 4136
ACCESSORIES OF MOTOR VEHICLE
● Tires, wiper, muffler and brake
● Horn (all vehicles) vs Siren (emergency vehicles only)
● Headlights - Every motor vehicle of more than one meter of projected width, while in use on any
public highway shall bear two headlights, one on each side, with white or yellowish light visible from the
front, which, not later than one-half hour after sunset and until at least one-half four before sunrise and
whenever weather conditions so require, shall both be lighted.
● Taillights - Every motor vehicle and trailer shall, during the above-mentioned hours, also bear on each
side in the rear a lamp showing a red light visible at least one hundred meters from the rear of the vehicle
and a lamp throwing a white light upon the number plate issued for such vehicle.
● Stoplights - Every motor vehicle shall be equipped at the rear with at least one lamp which shall throw a
sustained bright red light visible under all conditions, even under bright sunlight, when the brakes are
applied.
● Use of Red Flag - Whenever the load of any vehicle extends more than one meter beyond the bed or
body thereof, there shall be displayed at every projecting end of such load a red flag not less than thirty
centimeters both in length and width, except that during the hours fixed under subsection (c), there shall
be displayed, in lieu of the required red flags, red lights visible at least fifty meters away.
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VEHICLE SPEED LIMIT
(Sec. 35b, R.A. No. 4136)

Passenger Cars Trucks and

Maximum Allowable Speed
and Motorcycle Buses
On open country roads, with no “blinds corners” not
closely bordered by habitations.
80 kph 50 kph
On “through streets” or boulevards, clear of traffic, with
no “ blind corners,” when so designated.
40 kph 30 kph
On city and municipal streets, with light traffic, when not
designated “through streets”
30 kph 30 kph
Through crowded streets, approaching intersections
at “blind corners,” passing school zones, passing other
vehicles which are stationary, or for similar dangerous
20 kph 20 kph
circumstances.

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RA. No. 4136

SALIENT FEATURES
● All motor vehicles to be registered in a national registry.
● There are registration requirements and fees for every motor vehicle
owner.
● Every motor vehicle owner must apply for a professional and
nonprofessional license.
● There are penalty fees for failing to comply with the commission’s
registration and licensing requirements.
● It created the LAND TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION (LTC) with the task of
administering the provisions of the RA 4136.
● The LTC is the predecessor of both the Land Transportation Office (LTO)
and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).

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 RA. No. 8750
The Seat Belts Use Act of 1999

It is the law that requires mandatory compliance of public and

private motorists to use seat belt devices in line with the policy
of the State in pursuing a more proactive and preventive
approach in securing the safety of passengers and drivers from
vehicular accidents.

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RA. No. 8750

What is SEAT BELT DEVICE?

It is any strap, webbing or similar device
in the form of pelvic restraint or lap belt,
upper torso restraint or shoulder strap
or a combination thereof designed to
secure a person in a motor vehicle in
order to mitigate the results of any
accident, including all necessary buckles
and other fasteners, and all hardware
designed for installing such seat belt
device in a motor vehicle.

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RA. No. 8750

SALIENT FEATURES
● It prohibits infants, toddlers, and children under six years old from
sitting in front of any running motor vehicle.
● It also requires car manufacturers to ensure that all their vehicles
are equipped with the proper seat belt provisions.
● The seat belts should also meet the standards of the Bureau of
Product Standards of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in
consultation with the LTO of the Department of Transportation and
Communications (DOTC).

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 RA. No. 10586
Anti-Drunk and Drugged Driving Act of 2013

It is penalizes the acts of driving under the influence of alcohol,

dangerous drugs and other intoxicating substances, and makes
provision on educating the public of the standards of safe
driving and the benefits that may be derived from it through
institutional programs and appropriate public information
strategies.

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RA. No. 10586

What is DUI?
DUI or DRIVING UNDER the INFLUENCE
of alcohol is the act of operating a motor
vehicle while the driver’s blood alcohol
concentration level has, after being
subjected to a breath analyzer test,
reached the level of intoxication OR
driving under the influence of dangerous
drugs and other similar substances after
being found positive in a confirmatory
test.

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RA. No. 10586

SALIENT FEATURES
● It enables law enforcers to use a device called breath analyzers and
to conduct a sobriety test on drivers who they believe is under
alcohol intoxication or dangerous drugs. They have the power to
flag the suspected driver down and subject him or her to a series of
sobriety tests.

● If the suspected driver failed the test, he or she needs to undergo a

breathalyzer test. If the driver refused to undergo these two tests,
they will be penalized. Their driver's license will be confiscated and
will automatically be revoked as stated in the Act.
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RA. No. 10586
The STANDARDIZED FIELD
SOBRIETY TESTS (SFST)
1. HORIZONTAL GAZE NYSTAGMUS
(EYE TEST)

This is the first test where the

apprehending officer will stand
about 1 foot away from the
suspected driver and checks if it
shows involuntary eye jerking while
they are looking towards the
moving objects from side to side
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RA. No. 10586

2. WALK-AND-TURN TEST
The STANDARDIZED FIELD
SOBRIETY TESTS (SFST)
This is the 2nd test where the
suspected driver needs to walk
heel-to-toe in a straight line for 8 to
9 steps. They should turn at the
end and go back to his/her starting
point without showing any signs of
difficulty. This test is done to check
the ability of the driver in
maintaining balance and following
directions.
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RA. No. 10586
The STANDARDIZED FIELD
3. ONE-LEG STAND TEST
SOBRIETY TESTS (SFST)

This 3rd test will require the driver

to stand with their one leg 6 inches
from the ground for a good thirty
seconds. This test is also done to
check the driver's coordination and
balance and the same with the
walk-and-turn test, it also checks if
the driver can still follow directions.

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RA. No. 10586

What is BREATHALYZER?

Breathalyzer, a short for breath analyzer,

is a device that measures or estimates
blood alcohol content (BAC).

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RA. No. 10586

Who may be considered as DUI?

DRIVER OF BAC
private motor vehicle with a
gross vehicle weight not 0.05% or higher
exceeding 4500 kg.
trucks, buses, motorcycles and
public utility vehicles 0.01% or higher

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 RA. No. 10054
Motorcycle Helmet Act of 2009

It is the primary law that

mandates all motorcycle
riders to wear standard
protective motorcycle
helmets and provides for
the specific penalties for
its violation.

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RA. No. 10054

SALIENT FEATURES
● It indicates that the helmets to be used by motorcycle riders are
those that comply with the guidelines regarding the specifications of
standard protective motorcycle helmets, issued by the Department
of Trade and Industry (DTI).

● In addition to this provision, the law mandates that only those

standard protective motorcycle helmets bearing the Philippine
Standard (PS) or Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) mark shall be
sold in the market.

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 RA. No. 8749
Philippine Clean Air Act of 1999
It is a comprehensive air quality
management policy and
program which aims to achieve
and maintain healthy air for all
Filipinos.

Its important feature is the

implementation of emission
standards for motor vehicles.

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 RA. No. 10666
Children’s Safety on Motorcycles Act of 2015

It prohibits any person to drive a

two-wheeled motorcycle with a
child on board on public roads
where there is heavy volume of
vehicles, there is a high density of
fast-moving vehicles or where a
speed limit of more than 60/kph is
imposed.
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RA. No. 10666

EXCEPTION to the prohibition of

child on board a 2-wheeled motorcycle
The following must concur:

1. The child passenger can comfortably reach his/her feet on the

standard foot peg of the motorcycle;
2. The child’s arms can reach around and grasp the waist of the
motorcycle rider; and
3. The child is wearing a standard protective helmet referred to under
Republic Act No. 10054, otherwise known as the “Motorcycle Helmet
Act of 2009.
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 RA. No. 10913
Anti-Distracted Driving Act (ADDA)
law that prohibits a person who
is driving a motor vehicle from
holding and using mobile
communication devices and
electronic entertainment
gadgets.

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RA. No. 10913

OTHER FEATURES
● The prohibition applies while the motor vehicle is in motion or
temporarily stopped on a traffic light or an intersection.

● This law covers both public and private vehicles.

● It also covers wheeled agricultural machineries, construction

equipment, and other forms of conveyances such as bicycles,
pedicabs, trolleys, “habal-habal”, “kuligligs”, wagons, carriages, and
carts that may either be human-powered or pulled by an animal as
long as the same are operated or driven in public thoroughfares,
highways or streets.
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