Esta ley enmienda la Ley Núm. 33 de 25 de mayo de 1972 para incluir, entre las funciones de la Comisión para la Seguridad en el Tránsito de Puerto Rico, la preparación, desarrollo y coordinación de un estudio anual sobre los efectos del uso de teléfonos móviles al conducir en la seguridad vial, tanto con dispositivos de manos libres como sin ellos. El estudio se realizará en coordinación con diversas agencias, instrumentalidades, corporaciones públicas y municipios relacionados con el tránsito.
(House Substitute for S. B. 121) (No. 107) (Approved May 6, 2004)
To amend Section 2 of Act No. 33 of May 25, 1972, as amended, to include in the functions of the Traffic Safety Commission of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico the preparation, development, and coordination of an annual study on the effects on traffic safety on the thoroughfares of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico of the use of mobile telephones while driving, with and without hands-free devices in coordination with the different agencies, instrumentalities, public corporations, and municipalities, which by law perform duties related to traffic.
Due to the large technological advances that have arisen since the creation of the Traffic Safety Commission, the use of mobile telephones has become customary and proliferated among the persons driving on the thoroughfares of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. In addition to the advantages of said telephones, mobile telephones have also created a situation in which irresponsible drivers, distracted by using them, have caused traffic accidents in our thoroughfares.
Act No. 33 of May 25, 1972, created a coordination committee known as the "Traffic Safety Commission," composed of the Governor, the Secretary of Transportation and Public Works, the Secretary of Education, the Secretary of Health, the Police Superintendent, the Executive Director of
the Highway and Transportation Authority, the Administrative Director of Courts, the Executive Director of the Automobile Accident Compensation Administration (ACAA, Spanish acronym), the Secretary of Justice, the Administrator of the Mental Health and Addiction Services Administration, the President of the Public Service Commission, one representative of the public interest, and one representative of the youth. Among the functions of said Commission is to study and evaluate all problems affecting traffic safety on our streets and thoroughfares. Regardless of such functions, today there is no empirical data on the impact of the use of mobile telephones while driving motor vehicles on traffic safety on the thoroughfares of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. We understand that this lack of empirical data may be due to the fact that the rise in the use of mobile telephones took place a long time after the approval of the Act that creates the Traffic Safety Commission. Therefore, we deem it necessary to amend said Act, in order to specifically establish the duty of the Traffic Safety Commission of preparing, developing, and coordinating an annual study on the effects on traffic safety in the thoroughfares of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico of the use of mobile telephones while driving, with and without the hands-free devices, in coordination with the different agencies, instrumentalities, public corporations, and municipalities which, by law, perform duties related to traffic.
Section 1.- Section 2 of Act No. 33 of May 25, 1972, as amended, is hereby amended, to read as follows: "(3) Functions and Powers.
appropriated to the Traffic Accident Prevention Program, the Commission shall have the following functions:
(d) Prepare, develop, and coordinate an annual study on the effects on traffic safety on the thoroughfares of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico of the use of mobile telephones while driving, with and without hands-free devices, in coordination with the different agencies, instrumentalities, public corporations, and municipalities, which by law perform duties related to traffic.
Section 2.- This Act shall take effect immediately after its approval.
I hereby certify to the Secretary of State that the following Act No. 107 (House Substitute for S. B. 121) of the $7^{ ext {th }}$ Session of the $14^{ ext {th }}$ Legislature of Puerto Rico:
AN ACT to amend Section 2 of Act No. 33 of May 25, 1972, as amended, to include in the functions of the Traffic Safety Commission of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico the preparation, development, and coordination of an annual study on the effects on traffic safety on the thoroughfares of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico of the use of mobile telephones while driving, with and without hands-free devices in coordination with the different agencies, instrumentalities, public corporations, and municipalities, which by law perform duties related to traffic, has been translated from Spanish to English and that the English version is correct.
In San Juan, Puerto Rico, today $25^{ ext {th }}$ of October of 2006.
Francisco J. Domenech Director