The House Committee on Transportation has approved House Bill No. 3391 or the proposed Drag Racing Ban Act banning races conducted in public roads between two or more vehicles.
In a meeting on Wednesday, the House panel chaired by Samar Rep. Edgar Mary Sarmiento unanimously passed HB 3391 filed by Rep. Precious Hipolito-Castelo (PDP-Laban, Quezon City).
Castelo lauded the committee action on the measure, saying that drag racing has caused deaths, serious injuries to people and damage to property in the past.
The Land Transportation Office and the Department of Transportation, representing during the meeting by Assistant Secretary Edgar Galvante and Assistant Secretary Steven Pastor, respectively, backed the passage of the measure.
“Deplorably, many lives were snuffed out on account of drag racing in public roads, which occurs at an alarming rate,” said Castelo in the explanatory note of the bill.
She added: “Drag racing on public roads does not have a place in our society. A stringent measure should be enforced against this perilous activity.”
According to her, drag racing involves the ”employment of two or more private vechiles driven side by side within a specific distance at accelerating speeds with the objective to outdo each other.”
Castelo noted that drag racing is not limited only to private vehicles. According to her, public utility vehicles such as buses and tricycles are known to be involved in racing on the streets, putting the lives of both drivers and pedestrians in grave danger.
HB 3391 proposes the imposition of fines ranging from P300,000 to P500,000 and imprisonment of one year on violators.