BAGUIO CITY – The City Council approved on first reading a proposed ordinance regulating the use of major streets in the city by driving schools in giving lessons and by student drivers and for practical driving instructions or lessons and providing penalties for violators.
The ordinance authored by Councilor Michael L. Lawana stated driving schools providing lessons and instruction and student drivers with student permits taking driving lessons and instructions shall not be allowed to pass through and use the major streets for purposes of practical driving lessons and instructions from 6 am to 8 pm Mondays to Sundays.
Further, driving school cars shall be painted on both sides with the name of the driving school, its address and telephone numbers in addition to the caution sign indicating the driver is a student driver on the front hood and on the back compartment of the said vehicles.
The said sign and caution attached or installed on the driving school car shall not be removable and practical driving lessons and practice must be conducted in a privately owned race circuit or a test track of the driving school during the prohibited time.
Under the provisions of the ordinance, violators of the local legislative measure shall be fined P300 for the first offense, P500 for the second offense and P1,500 and revocation of the business permit of the driving school and the driver’s license of the student driver shall be confiscated.
Lawana said the use of major streets in the city by driving schools for giving lessons and by student drivers practicing their lessons may pose danger to life and property of drivers, motorists, commuters, and passers-by.
He noted the slow-paced driving of student drivers slows down traffic causing jam, congestion and ultimately traffic woes.
South Drive, Leonard Wood Road, Outlook Drive St. Loakan Road and the Happy Hallow-Kadaclan circumferential road are the major roads usually used by driving schools for giving lessons and by student drivers and practical driving instructors giving lessons or instructions.
The ordinance cited the complaints of concerned citizens regarding the operation of these driving schools and student drivers in the major streets in the city.
The ordinance stated the presence of vehicles of driving schools along major roads in the city could result in incidents that pose a serious threat to the safety of the public, thus, the need to institute the appropriate measures that will prevent the occurrence of untoward incidents that could lead to loss of lives and damage to property.
The ordinance will be referred to the Council Committee on Public Utilities, Traffic and Transport Legislation for study and recommendation where it will be calendared for second reading and for the conduct of public hearings to solicit the opinion of the public on this matter.
By Dexter A. See