FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF TW. PHILII’PINES 
) 
Second Regular Session 
) 
Introduced by Senator Antonio “Sonny” F. Trillanes IV 
Explanatow Note 
In most developed countries, road traffic accidents are among the top ten leading causes of 
disease burden in 1998 as measured in the disability-adjusted life years (DALYs).’ In less 
developed countries, road traffic accidents were the most significant cause of injuries, ranking 
eieventh aiioflg the tfiost imponant causes of lost years of liealtliy life. According to a World 
Health OrganizatiodWorld Bank2 report, deaths from non-communicable diseases are expected 
to climb from 28.1 million a year in 1990 to 49.7 million by 2020 - an increase in absolute 
numbers of 77%. Traffic accidents are the main cause of this rise. Road traffic injuries are 
expected to take third place in the rank order of disease burden by the year 2020.3 
Furthermore, in the WHO 1995 State of World Health Report4, external causes such as accidents 
and violence accounted for about 4 miliion deaths, or some 8% of the totai, again mostly among 
adults. Developing countries have nearly four times the number of deaths from these causes as 
the developed world. Conversely, a 1999 WHO publication5 reports that the leading injury- 
re!atd cause af daath among people aged 15-44 yasrs is trafic injxias. 
In the country, the Philippine National Police (PNF’) reported about 15, 000 traffic accidents in 
2006.6 This means that on the average, there are 41 traffic accidents per day. The same report 
also showed that most traffic accidents are caused mainly by dnver errors. Thus, this bill seeks 
the approval of motor vehicle accident prevention courses. Motorists can save their own lives by 
enrolling in a newly revised driving safety courses. 
In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
IV 
Senator 
1 ‘Intemalional Injury md Fatnlity Statistic:’ hnp:/l~.safecarguide.co~e~/statisti~sls~ti~ti~~.h~. 
Information retrieved on January 21, 
7nn9 
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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
Second Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
%, 
Introduced by Senator Antonio ''Sonny" F. Trillanes IV 
AN ACT 
MANDATING 
THE 
DEPARTMKNT 
OF 
TRANSPORTATION 
AND 
COMMUNICATIONS TO EVALUATE, APPROVE AND ACCREDIT MOTOR 
VEHICLE ACCIDENT PREVENTION COURSES AND REQUIRING ALL LICENSED 
DRIVERS TO UNDERGO SUCH COURSES BEFORE THE ISSUANCE OF THEIR 
DRIVERS' LICENSES, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House ofRepresentutives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. Policy qf the S&k- It is the policy of the State to further highway safety 
by preserving the quality and efficacy of the accident prevention course programs. These 
programs will be accomplished by establishing strict criteria for initial and continual course 
sponsorship approval. 
SEC. 2. Definition of Term.- For the purposes of this Act, the following terms shall 
have the following definitions: 
1. "Sponsoring agency" shall mean an organization which owns a motor vehlcle 
accident prevention course approved by the Department of Transportation and Communications 
(DOTC) Secretary (hereinafter referred to as the Secretary). 
2. "Delivery agency" shall mean an organization which conduck a sponsoring 
agency's approved motor vehicle accident prevention course. 
3. "Instructor" shall mean an individual employed by a delivery agency to teach an 
approved accident prevention course. 
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4. "Accident prevention course" or "course" shall mean the accident prevention course 
curriculum or specialized course curriculum which has been approved by the Secretary. 
5 .  "Completion certificate" shall mean a document which c m o t  be altered and which 
is provided to the student who successfully completes the accident prevention course. 
6. "Specialized course" shall mean a course aimed primarily at enhancing safety within 
a specific occupation or for a specific category of vehicles. 
SEC. 3. Approval by the Secretay.- The Secretary must approve an accident 
prevention course before any person attending and successfully completing such course. The 
Secretary shall base the decision to approve a course upon the requirements set forth in this 
article and any additional requirements as the Secretary deems necessary. 
SEC. 4. Application for approval- 
1. An agency or organization seeking approval as a motor vehicle accident prevention 
course-sponsoring agency shall apply to the Secretary for approval. Such applications shall be 
made in writing and on forms prescribed by the Secretary. The application shall include at a 
minimum: the title or name of the course, the name of the organization submitting the 
application, proof of course ownership, and the names and addresses of all owners, officers, and 
directors of the agency or organization, and such other information or material as the Secretary 
may prescribe. An application shall not be considered to be complete until all information and 
material required by this chapter and by regulation of the Secretary has been submitted. 
2. The Secretary shall either approve or deny an application for course approval no 
later than ninety (90) days following submission of a completed application. In the event the 
Secretary takes no action on an application after ninety (90) days following submission of a 
completed application, the application shall be deemed denied. 
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SEC. 5. Standards for course approval.- 
1, To be approved, a course must: 
(a) Provide at least three hundred twenty (320) minutes of instruction, with a certified 
instructor present. Nothing in this section shall prevent the use of audio/visual aids as part 
of the course presentation prescribed by the Secretary. 
(b) Provide a description of the minimum qualifications of all managers and instructors 
who will be hired by the applicant. 
(c) Provide each instructor with an instructor's manual and provide student workbooks 
and/or manuals for each course participant. 
(d) Provide a copy of a completion certificate which is designed to prevent and is 
capable of preventing fraud and forgery, and which is approved by the Secretary for the 
purpose of verifying course completion for submission to insurance companies. 
(e) Provide proof of effectiveness pursuant to Section 6 of this Act. 
2. The curricuium of the course shall at least include but shall not be limited to the following 
subject matters: 
(a) Concept of accident preventability including a discussion of the magnitude of traffic 
accident problems; 
(b) Techniques for defensive driving and handling critical situations, including but not 
limited to: 
(1) Interpreting events that require evasive action; 
(2) Determining the appropriate response to situations caused by mechanical failure of the 
motor vehicle; 
(3) Determining risk factors created by a variety of psychological, social, and physical factors 
that can facilitate or inhibit the functions required in driving, including but not limited to: 
(i) The effects and compensatory measures concerning the relationships between alcohol, 
drugs, or medication and dnving performances; 
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(ii) The negative stresses and compensatory measures associated with physical, mental, and 
social conditions as they relate to driver performances; and 
(iii) The age-related physical changes of drivers fifty-five (55) years of age and older. 
(c) Philippine traffic laws and regulations, vehicle dynamics, capabilities, limitations, and 
highway environmental factors including but not limited to: 
(1) Traffic laws and regulations, such as signs, signals, markings, right-of-way requirements, 
and speed; 
(2) Vehicle capabilities, such as stopping distances and passing abilities; and 
(3) Highway settings, operating environments and adverse conditions, including but not limited 
to conditions affected by illumination, obstructions, or the weather, such as snow, ice, or rain. 
3. The Secretary is authorized to suspend or revoke approval of a sponsoring agency should the 
Secretary find that the sponsoring agency, its delivery agency or its instructors have been found 
to be in violation of any applicable laws or regulations. 
SEC. 6. Proof of effectiveness.- 
Proof of effectiveness shall be verifiable through a 
research documentation submitted by the applicant for sponsorship showing evidence of 
effectiveness comparable to that of the national safety council's defensive driving course as 
determined by the Secretary in terms of reduced convictions or accidents or both. This research 
documentation shall employ accepted research principles and include treatment and non- 
treatment control groups comprised of samples of the representative driver base. In order to 
establish verifiable effectiveness, each sample group should be comprised of a minimum of 
three thousand (3,000) drivers selected randomly. The documentation shall include conviction 
or accident data for each motorist for a period of at least eighteen (1 8) months prior to the course 
completion date and at least eighteen (1 8) months subsequent to such date, and equivalent time 
periods for non-treatment control groups. The documentation shall also include a description 
of the sampling and analytic procedures used, and the motorist identification number and 
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course completion date for all course attendees. The applicant for sponsorship shall provide, at 
the request of the Secretary and at the applicant's expense, all driving record data and analysis 
used in the development of the submitted research documentation. Submission of any fraudulent 
or intentionally misleading data will disqualify that organization and all owners and principals 
from participating or approval in the accident prevention course for a period of ten (10) years 
from submission date. The Secretary may, by regulation, provide for a smaller sample group for 
specialized courses. 
SEC. 7. Course Validity.- In the event the course application is approved, the course 
approval shall be valid for not more than a two (2) year period. Any person who has obtained 
approval for a course shall comply with the following requirements: 
(1) Apply to the Secretary for approval if there are any proposed additions or deletions to a 
previously approved course or its curriculum; 
(2) Perform all necessruy administrative functions in connection with the course; 
(3) Provide each participant satisfactorily completing the course with an approved certificate of 
course completion; 
(4) Maintain records which indicate the name, address, social security number and date of 
course of those individuals who have completed the course within the previous three (3) years; 
(5) Provide and train instructors to conduct courses; 
(6) Conduct the course in accordance with the description and curriculum approved by the 
Secretary; 
(7) Provide the Secretary with a scheduIe of class dates, times, and locations; and 
(8) Authorize and permit the Secretary to audit the records of the approved course and to 
monitor and evaluate any and all portions of the course including but not limited to the classroom 
facility, field driving, the use of the instructional materials, the qualifications of instructors and the 
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actual presentation of the course. 
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SEC. 8. The certtified agency may charge a reasonable fee for the course.- The 
Secretary may require an audit by an ,independent firm of the fees collected and expenditure of 
those fees. 
SEC. 9. Zmplemntation Period Within three (3) years from the enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary is mandated to ensure that all drivers undergo a motor vehicle prevention course 
before the issuance of their drivers’ licenses. 
SEC. 10. Regulations.- The Secretary shall promulgate such rules and regulations as are 
necessary to effectuate the provisions of this Act. In addition to any requirements expressly 
authorized by this Act, such regulations may include but not be limited to requirements and 
standards with respect to: delivery agencies and instructors; classroom facilities; suspension 
or revocation of approval; appeal of suspension or revocation; course administration and 
advertising; monitoring of courses and instructors; and evaluation of course effectiveness. 
SEC. 11. Repealing Clause.- Any laws, decrees, ordinances or rules and regulations 
which are inconsistent with or contrary to the provision of this Act is hereby amended or 
repealed. 
SEC. 12. Effectivi@.- This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days following its publication 
in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation. 
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