A more potent law against drunk drivers

Many “men of the law” (police officers and lawyers) that I have spoken with regarding the ease or difficulty to prosecute irresponsible drivers who drive while under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs were almost one in their opinion that a new and more potent law should be legislated in order to help the police and the courts to work together to curb drunk driving.

Of course the focused efforts of the National Capital Regional Police Office (NCRPO) under the leadership of Director Roberto Rosales to clamp down of these erring drivers are indeed very laudable. Latest word is that Police General Rosales may be able to get the necessary equipment like breath analyzers, to help him enforce the law against this very irresponsible driver’s demeanor and we join the rest of the general motoring public in wishing him the best to succeed in this worthy endeavor. Positive results from a breath analyzer as evidence should help prove the guilt of these no good-doers.

However, as these “men of law” have been emphasizing, a stronger, more forceful and more detailed law should be passed to give these lawbreakers a slim chance of going scot-free when brought to the courts.

But then there are still those who strongly feel that a judge’s discretion can still play a very significant role in curbing drunk driving, save from those who, despite the presence of convincing evidence and testimony and detailed police reports, still opt to dismiss drunk driving cases due to a couple of hundred thousand reasons – though others I heard do so for only a few thousand reasons.

Recognition indeed worthy of mention

The 5th Annual C! Awards was held almost a month ago, last July 15th to be precise, and it’s only now that I have the chance to make mention of one of the major awards, which I strongly feel is indeed worthy of note.

That evening amidst the usual glitz and glamour that such event has always associated with, Mr. Daniel “Sir John” Isla, president of Lexus Manila became the first recipient Pocholo Ramirez Achievement Award in recognition of his contribution to the growth of the local auto industry.

 “Sir John” as many of his close friends in the industry refer to him, not only for being a known out-and-out Beatlemaniac who’s a firm believer of the God-given talent of John Lennon but also for his “knightly” manners, has spent a good part of his life in the auto industry from sales to marketing and now handling top management. Aside from being a popular friend to the media his mild manners and complete understanding of local market conditions have made him zoom high up the corporate ladder in record time.

Also worthy of mention are the prime awards that the “Isla-led” Lexus brand – the newest entry to the local motoring industry – romped away with that evening, namely; the Lexus IS300 for Best Premium Sedan, GS460 for Best Premium Executive Sedan, the LX570 for Best Premium SUV and the Lexus flagship model, the LS460L as the Best Premium Luxury Sedan.

Way to go – Sir John!

Kia displays total confidence with its vehicles

A warranty of 5 years or 160,000 kilometers (whichever comes first) is now what Kia is offering to all its buyers. This unprecedented extension of warranty protection not only breached the industry standard but is also seen by many auto industry observers as a reinforcement of Kia’s claim that its vehicles are as good, if not better, as any available in the market today.

“Nothing can be better than this,” says Felix J. Mabilog, Jr. president and COO of Columbian Autocar Corporation, the country’s exclusive distributors of Kia vehicles. “People need a brand whose value is not diminished dramatically with usage or with age. With the extended warranty, Kia is confident it owners will derive full satisfaction from their cars for a long period of time and therefore be happy about it,” added Felix, who just recently marked his 70th birthday with a celebration attended by a hall filled with sincere well-wishers composed of business associates, industry peers, close friends from the media, former and present employees, friends and relatives all eager to share with him the special meaning of the occasion.

To further highlight this bar-raising move Felix also declared, “This is a first for Kia as well as first in the industry. I am proud that Kia has been the pacesetter in extending the warranty coverage of its cars by more than two years or another 50,000 kms. That’s not only a long period of time or a lot of extra mileage. It also represents savings, a feeling of security and peace of mind which is what we need during these difficult times.”

It is known that the standard industry practice is warranty protection that extends anywhere from three (3) years or 100,000 kilometers, whichever comes first. However, advances in engineering design and car manufacturing had allowed other car companies to surpass the standard by extending coverage up to five (5) years. The most offered was up to 150,000 kilometers only. This makes Kia’s coverage longer by 10,000 kilometers.

No established trend on the voting

The voting continues to determine the year’s most preferred models in each category of sedans, SUVs, AUVs, sports cars, vans and pick ups and the most popular the 2009 Automobile of the Year – People’s Choice.

Although most of the votes cast are still online through the voting website www.autofocus.com.ph, votes cast through The Philippine STAR ballots that comes out every Wednesday (today) here on the motoring section and those through Top Gear and Speed magazines, have started coming in either by mail or personally brought to the office of Sunshine Television, Valle Verde Country Club, Capt. Henry Javier Street, Pasig City.

We’ll have to remind those who are supporting their favorite automobiles about the weight of the ballots cast in the different venues. Those cast online are equivalent to single (1) vote, each Philippine STAR ballot is worth three (3) votes and those from the Top Gear and Speed magazines are worth five (5) votes each. Of course there are also votes being cast through the radio – the top pop music station Magic 89.9, which are equivalent to two (2) votes.

As I’m writing this, the week’s tabulation of online, newspaper and magazine votes is still on-going and would not be done before this column’s deadline. I’ll give you an updated tally next week.

The 2009 Auto Focus Automobile of the Year – People’s Choice Awards is organized by STV, Sunshine Television in cooperation with Goodyear Philippines with major media partners The Philippine STAR, Top Gear & Speed magazines, Solar Sports and Magic 89.9.

All those who cast their votes have a chance to win valuable prizes in the Grand Raffle scheduled after the conclusion of the year’s polls. Each vote is an individual entry in the raffle.

Motoring Tip of the Week

A most recent accident that unfortunately happened in the most-watched auto race in the planet – Formula One, again undeniably proved that crash helmets do not have a 100% guarantee that the wearer would be free from injuries when an accident happens. Ferrari race driver Felipe Massa sustained head injuries while wearing a safety helmet when flying debris (a loose spring that flew from another race car) hit him. The question was, “What would have happened if he was not wearing a helmet?”

We cannot overemphasize the importance of wearing helmets within the approved safety standards while riding motorcycles – with or without a law that requires it. For your own safety – always wear a safety helmet.

Happy Motoring!!!

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