Speed limits in the Philippines are specified in Republic Act No. 4136, or the Land Transportation and Traffic Code of the Philippines, which took effect on its approval on June 20, 1964. [1] The act covers a number of areas other areas than speed limits, and was amended regarding some of those areas by Republic Act No. 10930, which was approved on August 2, 2017. [2]
As of 2024, RA 4136 is listed as current by the Land Transportation Office. [3] Speed limits covered in the act apply to motor vehicles when mainly traversing national roads, but lower speed limits may be specified on provincial and local roads in the interest of road safety and design speed, but not exceeding that of RA 4136. [4] Roads within private property are not subject to the speed limits of RA 4136.
Nonwithstanding the above, the generally applied maximum speed limits are 20 to 30 km/h (12 to 19 mph) on most city or municipal roads, 40 to 80 km/h (25 to 50 mph) on most highways, and 100 km/h (62 mph) on most expressways.
The speed limit sign is a red circle with numbers inside as in most countries including Japan, Thailand and Malaysia.
Speed restrictions for motor vehicles were first defined during the Insular Government of the Philippine Islands in Act No. 2159, the first formal law on land transportation, which was passed by the 3rd Philippine Legislature on February 5, 1912. Under this act, it was prohibited for a motor vehicle to be operated "recklessly" or at a speed that may inflict damage to property or the safety or rights of people relative to current road conditions. [5]
SEC. 24. No person shall operate a motor vehicle on any highway in these Islands recklessly or at a rate of speed greater than is reasonable and proper, having regard to the width, traffic, grades, crossings, curvatures, and other conditions of the highway and to the conditions of the atmosphere and weather, or so as to endanger the property or the safety or rights of any person or so as to cause excessive or unreasonable damage to the highway. [5]
On February 27, 1914, Act No. 2389 was passed into law, providing amendments to Act No. 2159. These amendments added maximum speed limits for all motor vehicles in certain road conditions and areas, specifically when traversing town roads, at blind corners, and intersections. [6]
Under the amendments in Act No. 2389, a driver will be considered as driving at a "speed greater than is reasonable and proper" for: [6]
On February 3, 1916, Act No. 2587 added more amendments to Act No. 2159, adding maximum speed limits for motor vehicles based on the gross vehicle weight and the material of the tires used. [7]
Gross vehicle weight | Rubber tires | Metal tires |
---|---|---|
Gross vehicle weight of 3.5 to 5 t (7,700 to 11,000 lb) | 20 km/h (12 mph) | 12 km/h (7.5 mph) |
Gross vehicle weight of 5 to 8 t (11,000 to 18,000 lb) | 15 km/h (9.5 mph) | 10 km/h (6 mph) |
On March 9, 1922, Act No. 3045 added maximum speed limits for motor vehicles with pneumatic tires and increased the speed limits provided in previous acts. [8]
Gross vehicle weight | Pneumatic tires | Solid rubber tires | Metal tires |
---|---|---|---|
Passenger automobiles of any weight and trucks not exceeding 2,300 kg (5,100 lb) | Reasonable speed | 20 km/h (12.5 mph) | 12 km/h (7.5 mph) |
Gross vehicle weight of 2,301 to 5,000 kg (5,073 to 11,023 lb) | 25 km/h (16 mph) | 18 km/h (11 mph) | 12 km/h (7.5 mph) |
Gross vehicle weight of 5,001 to 8,000 kg (11,025 to 17,637 lb) | 20 km/h (12.5 mph) | 15 km/h (9 mph) | 10 km/h (6 mph) |
Under the amendments in Act No. 3045, a driver will be considered as driving at a "speed greater than is reasonable and proper" for: [8]
On December 2, 1932, Act No. 3992 changed maximum speed limits to be based on road conditions and the type of motor vehicle and adds exemptions for emergency vehicles and certain government vehicles. [9] These speed limits would serve as the basis for the current speed limits in RA 4136, which repeals this act.
Roadway type | Passenger cars and motorcycles | Motor trucks and buses | |
---|---|---|---|
Open country roads, with no “blind corners” not closely bordered by habitations | 70 km/h (43 mph) | 50 km/h (31 mph) | |
On “through streets” or boulevards, clear of traffic, with no ” blind corners,” when so designated | 40 km/h (25 mph) | 30 km/h (19 mph) | |
On city and municipal streets, with light traffic, when not designated “through streets” | 30 km/h (19 mph) | ||
Through crowded streets, approaching intersections at “blind corners,” passing school zones, passing other vehicles which are stationary, or for similar dangerous circumstances | 20 km/h (12 mph) | ||
The provisions of Section 46 (c), 53, and 56 of this Act, shall not be applicable to:
This exemption is not, however, to be construed to authorize or condone uselessly or unnecessarily reckless or fast operation of any of the motor vehicles mentioned in this section, nor to exempt from liability under this Act, any operator of such motor vehicle for useless or unnecessarily fast or reckless operation. |
The act also prohibits the failure of an automobile or motorcycle operator to come to a full stop within 20 meters (66 ft) but not less than 2.5 meters (8.2 ft) from a road intersection or railroad crossing. The exception to this is if no hazard exists, a driver is allowed to pass at a maximum speed of 10 km/h (6 mph).
The current speed limits for motor vehicles are provided by Republic Act No. 4136, passed by the 17th Congress of the Philippines on June 20, 1964, which consolidates and repeals all previous acts into a unified traffic code. [1]
RA 4136 states that any person driving a motor vehicle on a highway shall:
Based on the above provisions, RA 4136 defines maximum allowed speed limits, which apply to all motor vehicles on public highways, including cars, motorcycles, jeepneys, and trucks. [1]
All public thoroughfares, boulevards, driveways, avenues, parks, and alleys are defined as "public highways" under this act. As such, speed limits do not apply to corridors within private property.
RA 4136 also states that the driver of any vehicle traveling at an unlawful speed shall forfeit any right of way which he might otherwise have enjoyed under the same law. [1]
Roadway type | Passenger cars and motorcycles | Motor trucks and buses | |
---|---|---|---|
Open country roads, with no “blind corners” not closely bordered by habitations | 80 km/h (50 mph) | 50 km/h (31 mph) | |
On “through streets” or boulevards, clear of traffic, with no ” blind corners,” when so designated | 40 km/h (25 mph) | 30 km/h (19 mph) | |
On city and municipal streets, with light traffic, when not designated “through streets” | 30 km/h (19 mph) | ||
Through crowded streets, approaching intersections at “blind corners,” passing school zones, passing other vehicles which are stationary, or for similar dangerous circumstances | 20 km/h (12 mph) | ||
The rates of speed hereinabove prescribed shall not apply to the following:
|
RA 4136 states that no provincial, city, or municipal authority is allowed to enact or enforce any ordinance or resolution that changes the maximum allowed speed limits in the act. [1] However, this is superseded by the DOTr-DPWH-DILG Joint Memorandum Circular 2018-001, which encourages all Local Government Units (LGUs) to enact and enforce local speed limit ordinances and to define speed limits according to local conditions. [4]
On national roads, speed limits must follow the recommended design speed of the road topography based on DPWH guidelines and standards. [4]
Topography | National Primary Roads | National Secondary Roads |
---|---|---|
Flat | 80 km/h (50 mph) | 70 km/h (43 mph) |
Rolling | 60 km/h (37 mph) | |
Mountainous | 50 km/h (31 mph) | 40 km/h (25 mph) |
Road classification | Passenger cars and motorcycles | Motor trucks and buses |
---|---|---|
Open roads | 80 km/h (50 mph) | 50 km/h (31 mph) |
Through streets | 40 km/h (25 mph) | 30 km/h (19 mph) |
Crowded streets | 20 km/h (12 mph) |
On provincial and local roads, LGUs may designate their own speed limits subject to the approval of the DOTr. In the interest of road safety, these speed limits may be lower than that in RA 4136 provided that they do not exceed the per road classification maximum speed limits of RA 4136. [4]
Road classification | Passenger cars and motorcycles | Motor trucks and buses |
---|---|---|
Open roads | 40 km/h (25 mph) | 30 km/h (19 mph) |
Through streets | ||
Municipal or city streets | 30 km/h (19 mph) | |
Barangay roads | 20 km/h (12 mph) | |
Crowded streets and collector roads |
Speed limits on all limited-access highways or expressways in the Philippines are defined by Department of Public Works and Communications (DPWC) Administrative Order No. 1 signed on February 19, 1968. The order states that vehicles on expressways must be driven at a minimum speed limit of 60 km/h (37 mph) and a maximum speed limit of 100 km/h (62 mph). However, this may vary between different expressways all around the country.
The order also prohibits any vehicle or equipment that is incapable of traveling on expressways at the minimum speed limit from driving on the expressway. [10]
As of 2024 [update] , the minimum and maximum speed limits on expressways are as follows:
Expressway and segments | Minimum speed | Maximum speed limits | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sub-400cc motorcycles | Buses and trucks | 400cc motorcycles and cars | |||
C-5 Southlink Expressway | 60 km/h (37 mph) | Not allowed | 60 km/h (37 mph) | ||
Cavite–Laguna Expressway | 80 km/h (50 mph) | ||||
Cebu–Cordova Link Expressway [12] | Main bridge | — | 60 km/h (37 mph) | ||
Causeway | — | 40 km/h (25 mph) | |||
Manila–Cavite Expressway | 60 km/h (37 mph) | Not allowed | 80 km/h (50 mph) | 100 km/h (62 mph) | |
Metro Manila Skyway [13] | Balintawak to Quirino Avenue | 60 km/h (37 mph) | |||
SLEX Elevated Extension to Quirino Avenue | 60 km/h (37 mph) | 80 km/h (50 mph) | |||
Muntinlupa–Cavite Expressway | 80 km/h (50 mph) | 100 km/h (62 mph) | |||
NAIA Expressway | 60 km/h (37 mph) | ||||
NLEX Connector [14] | 60 km/h (37 mph) | 80 km/h (50 mph) | |||
NLEX Harbor Link | 80 km/h (50 mph) | 100 km/h (62 mph) | |||
North Luzon Expressway | 80 km/h (50 mph) | 100 km/h (62 mph) | |||
South Luzon Expressway | 80 km/h (50 mph) | 100 km/h (62 mph) | |||
Southern Tagalog Arterial Road | 80 km/h (50 mph) | 100 km/h (62 mph) | |||
Subic–Clark–Tarlac Expressway | 100 km/h (62 mph) | ||||
Tarlac–Pangasinan–La Union Expressway | 100 km/h (62 mph) |
On May 18, 2023, Ilocos Sur 1st district representative Ronald Singson filed House Bill No. 4089, which proposes to increase the maximum speed limit on expressways from 100 km/h (62 mph) to 140 km/h (87 mph). Under the proposal, buses and other large vehicles would have a speed limit of 120 km/h (75 mph) while other vehicles would have a speed limit of 140 km/h (87 mph). [15]
In Metro Manila, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) defines a 50 to 60 km/h (31 to 37 mph) maximum speed limit on specific radial and circumferential roads that it has jurisdiction over, including Commonwealth Avenue [16] and Macapagal Boulevard. [17]
Enforcement of speed limits are low in the Philippines due to lack of awareness of the mandate set by RA 4136. [20] To address this concern, DOTr, DPWH and DILG issued a joint memorandum on January 17, 2018 addressed to LGUs regarding the implementation of RA 4136 and encouraging LGUs to adopt lower speed limits in a bid to reduce road crash fatalities and injuries nationwide. LGUs are enjoined to adopt guidelines on road classification, setting and enforcement of speed limits according to local settings, and the collection and analysis of road crash data. [4] The United Nations Road Safety Fund has conducted training-of-trainers for law enforcement personnel who can then in turn train others in practical speed enforcement training. [21]
Speed limits on road traffic, as used in most countries, set the legal maximum speed at which vehicles may travel on a given stretch of road. Speed limits are generally indicated on a traffic sign reflecting the maximum permitted speed, expressed as kilometres per hour (km/h) or miles per hour (mph) or both. Speed limits are commonly set by the legislative bodies of national or provincial governments and enforced by national or regional police and judicial authorities. Speed limits may also be variable, or in some places nonexistent, such as on most of the Autobahnen in Germany.
A dual carriageway (BrE) or a divided highway (AmE) is a class of highway with carriageways for traffic travelling in opposite directions separated by a central reservation (BrE) or median (AmE). Roads with two or more carriageways which are designed to higher standards with controlled access are generally classed as motorways, freeways, etc., rather than dual carriageways.
In the United States and Canada, low-speed vehicle (LSV) regulations allow relaxed design and registration laws for four-wheel vehicles that have a maximum capable speed of about 25 mph (40 km/h). Several other countries have similar regulations.
A limited-access road, known by various terms worldwide, including limited-access highway, dual-carriageway, expressway, and partial controlled-access highway, is a highway or arterial road for high-speed traffic which has many or most characteristics of a controlled-access highway, including limited or no access to adjacent property, some degree of separation of opposing traffic flow, use of grade separated interchanges to some extent, prohibition of slow modes of transport, such as bicycles, horse-drawn vehicles or ridden horses, or self-propelled agricultural machines; and very few or no intersecting cross-streets or level crossings. The degree of isolation from local traffic allowed varies between countries and regions. The precise definition of these terms varies by jurisdiction.
The expressways of Japan make up a large network of controlled-access toll expressways.
A controlled-access highway is a type of highway that has been designed for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow—ingress and egress—regulated. Common English terms are freeway, motorway, and expressway. Other similar terms include throughway or thruway and parkway. Some of these may be limited-access highways, although this term can also refer to a class of highways with somewhat less isolation from other traffic.
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority is a government agency of the Philippines responsible for constituting the regional government of Metro Manila, comprising the capital city of Manila, the cities of Quezon City, Caloocan, Pasay, Mandaluyong, Makati, Pasig, Marikina, Muntinlupa, Las Piñas, Parañaque, Valenzuela, Malabon, Taguig, Navotas and San Juan, and the municipality of Pateros.
In the United States, speed limits are set by each state or territory. States have also allowed counties and municipalities to enact typically lower limits. Highway speed limits can range from an urban low of 25 mph (40 km/h) to a rural high of 85 mph (137 km/h). Speed limits are typically posted in increments of five miles per hour (8 km/h). Some states have lower limits for trucks, some also have night and/or minimum speed limits.
The National Maximum Speed Limit (NMSL) was a provision of the federal government of the United States 1974 Emergency Highway Energy Conservation Act that effectively prohibited speed limits higher than 55 miles per hour (89 km/h). The limit was increased to 65 miles per hour (105 km/h) in 1987. It was drafted in response to oil price spikes and supply disruptions during the 1973 oil crisis. Even after fuel costs began to decrease over time the law would remain in place until 1995 as proponents claimed it reduced traffic fatalities.
Commonwealth Avenue, formerly known as Don Mariano Marcos Avenue, is a 12.4-kilometer (7.7 mi) highway located in Quezon City, Philippines. It spans six to eighteen lanes, making it the widest road in the country. The avenue is one of the major roads in Metro Manila and is designated as part of Radial Road 7 (R-7) of the older Manila arterial road system and National Route 170 (N170) of the Philippine highway network.
A speed limit is the limit of speed allowed by law for road vehicles, usually the maximum speed allowed. Occasionally, there is a minimum speed limit. Advisory speed limits also exist, which are recommended but not mandatory speeds. Speed limits are commonly set by the legislative bodies of national or local governments.
The transportation system in Metro Manila covers the road network, rail network, ferries, ports and airports located within the metropolitan Manila area. Road transportation in Metro Manila is diverse, composed of many types of private and public transport vehicles. These include taxis, buses, jeepneys, tricycles and pedicabs. In some areas, especially in Divisoria and large public markets, two-stroke motors are fitted in the pedicabs and are used for goods transport. Regardless of modernity, horse-drawn kalesas are still used in the streets of Binondo and Intramuros. Ridesharing services such as Grab also operate within Metro Manila.
Road speed limits in the United Kingdom are used to define the maximum legal speed for vehicles using public roads in the UK.
The highest speed limit in Japan is 120 km/h, which applies on sections of Shin-Tōmei Expressway (E1A) and Tōhoku Expressway (E4), and expressways in the Kantō Plain leading to Tokyo, although a speed limit of 120 km/h is planned to be introduced on some more expressways.
General speed limits in New Zealand are set by the New Zealand government. The speed limit in each location is indicated on a nearby traffic sign or by the presence of street lighting. The limits have been posted in kilometres per hour (km/h) since 1974. Before then, when New Zealand used imperial units, maximum speeds were displayed in miles per hour (mph). Today, limits range from 10 km/h (6.2 mph) to 110 km/h (68 mph); in urban areas the default speed limit is 50 km/h (31 mph).
Speed limits in the United States vary depending on jurisdiction. Rural freeway speed limits of 70 to 80 mph are common in the Western United States, while such highways are typically posted at 65 or 70 mph in the Eastern United States. States may also set separate speed limits for trucks and night travel along with minimum speed limits. The highest speed limit in the country is 85 mph (137 km/h), which is posted on a single stretch of tollway in exurban areas outside Austin, Texas. The lowest maximum speed limit in the country is 30 miles per hour (48 km/h) in American Samoa.
The Philippine expressway network, also known as the High Standard Highway Network, is a controlled-access highway network managed by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) which consists of all expressways and regional high standard highways in the Philippines.
According to a "Global Driver Satisfaction" survey conducted by the navigation app Waze in 2015, Metro Manila had the "worst traffic on Southeast Asia". Emerson Carlos, MMDA assistant general manager for operation has mentioned that in 2015, motor vehicle registrations in Metro Manila peaked at around 2.5 million.
Cycling is a popular mode of transport and recreational sport in the Philippines. Bicycles were first introduced to the archipelago in the 1880s during the Spanish colonial occupation of the Philippines and served as a common mode of transport, especially among the local mestizo population.
Traffic law in the Philippines consists of multiple laws that govern the regulation and management of road transportation and the conduct of road users within the country.