Pangasinan 5th District Representative Ramon Guico Jr. has filed House Bill 1419. The bill primarily aims to strengthen the provisions of Land Transportation Office (LTO) Administrative Order AHS-2008-15 on lane splitting.
According to House Bill No. 1419, otherwise known as “Anti Lane Splitting Act of 2022,” lane-splitting shall mean any motorcycle, scooter, two or three wheeled motorized vehicle which shall share a lane already occupied by another vehicle in the highways.
As such, it prohibits motorcycle riders to traverse in between two vehicles except to overtake. Any motorcycle stopping or passing through vehicles during traffic on a broken white line in highways shall likewise be considered as lane splittng.
Violators will be fined P1,500 on the first offense, P3,000 on the second offense, and P5,000 plus the revocation of the violator’s driver’s license on the third offense.
Lane-splitting has long been a prohibited act in the Philippines. Section IX-C of LTO AO AHS-2008-15 states that “a diver/rider shall observe the rule on one lane per one vehicle only. Lane splitting is prohibiled along a road or a highway.” However, the said administrative order did not provide for any fines, hence this new bill.
As contained in the explanatory note, riding a motorcycle is dangerous enough that traffic regulations must be implemented more strictly. The State must gradually promote laws that will keep up with the changing times so that new rules can be implemented appropriate enough to safeguard motorcycle riders.
