A new bill that sides with drivers over motorbike riders that cause accidents has been filed.
House Bill no. 10679, also referred to as the Defensive Driving Act of 2024, has been introduced in the House of Representatives. If made into law, it will essentially prevent responsible drivers from being detained following road mishaps “if he or she can provide, on the spot and at the scene of the crime, evidence of his or her defensive driving.”
Drivers should not, however, consider the Defensive Driving Act as a free pass in the event of an accident. An explanatory note attached to the bill says: “It must be noted, however, that this bill does not intend to absolve the drivers of their liabilities, whether civil or criminal, but merely to save them from unnecessary mental anguish, physical, or even financial suffering arising from detention.”
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So, what counts as “evidence” of defensive driving here? The Defensive Driving Act specifies three things:
1) Dashcam footage showing that the driver was not breaking any traffic laws before and during the incident.
2) CCTV footage showing that the driver was not breaking any traffic laws before and during the incident.
3) Any footage or images from witnesses in the vicinity of the incident showing the driver was not breaking any traffic laws before and during the incident.
Again, the bill stresses that drivers do not get away scot-free after accidents. They may still face legal action, even if any of the evidence mentioned above prevents them from being detained. You can read the bill in its entirety here.
So, are you in favor of this becoming law? Let us know why or why not in the comments section.
