PB wants sanctions on cabbies using smartphones, tablets while driving

A taxi driver glances on a tablet computer attached to the car’s visor as he drives along.
(CDN PHOTO/ MARIAN Z. CODILLA)

The Cebu Provincial Board (PB) is asking municipal and city governments to impose sanctions on drivers of public utility vehicles (PUV) who use their smartphones while driving.

A resolution sponsored by PB Member Arleigh Sitoy stated that a number of PUV drivers have been “watching movies, video clips, surfing the Internet and other activities” while on the road.

The resolution was passed in last Monday’s PB session.

While using smartphones are acceptable, Sitoy said PUV drivers should not use while driving because it diverts their attention from the road.

“In the advent of smartphones, users nowadays can access the Internet wirelessly through their respective mobile phones at any place and time even in the comfort of their own vehicles,” the resolution stated.

Jeopardy

“Unfortunately, this technological advancement is being used by those engaged in the business of transporting passengers as a pastime while they are in operation placing the lives and limbs of their passengers in jeopardy,” Sitoy said.

The resolution also proposed to request local government units (LGUs) in Cebu to provide necessary sanctions to PUVs that “fail to exercise extraordinary diligence while conveying passengers.

The resolution used as basis the Republic Acct 386 or the Civil Code of the Philippines which states that “A common carrier is bound to carry the passengers safely as far as human care and foresight can provide, using the utmost diligence of very cautious persons with due regard for all circumstances.”

A number of taxis have their own set of tablets and smartphones after developers created mobile applications that facilitate booking and dispatching of vehicles by passengers.

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