THE Land Transportation Office (LTO) on Friday said a total of 529,578 motorists were arrested last year under its intensified implementation of road safety and other traffic laws.
Meanwhile, the agency placed on alarm a Toyota Vios car whose driver was caught on camera engaging in a heated argument with another motorist in Quezon City. The video has gone viral.
In line with the campaign, LTO chief Vigor Mendoza II instructed all regional directors to maintain the visibility of LTO traffic enforcers on the roads in order to compel errant motorists to behave.
“The mere presence of our uniformed personnel on the roads already encourages motorists to observe discipline. So we want the presence of our personnel on the road further intensified because observance of traffic discipline translates to road safety,” Mendoza said.
“This is the reason why the procurement of more motor vehicles that will be used by our enforcers is one of our priorities this year,” he added.
The LTO data showed that the common reasons for apprehensions of motorists were violations of the Clean Air Act or the Republic Act 8749 and Seatbelt Law Act or RA 8750 and overloading.
LTO impounded 23,615 motor vehicles, a 47 percent increase compared to those impounded in 2022.
Mendoza urged motor vehicle owners to follow the traffic laws and other road safety rules and regulations, especially that the LTO has started the strict implementation of the no-registration, no-travel policy aimed at ensuring the registration of around 24.7 million delinquent motor vehicles with expired registration.
“As part of the due process, we want to know the side of the person involved before any action of the LTO,” Mendoza said.
LTO-National Capital Region director Roque Verzosa III ordered the registered car owner to appear before his office on Jan. 17 and to bring with him a notarized affidavit as to why no penalties should be imposed on him.
Mendoza said at least two violations were committed based on the initial investigation of the incident in the video.
The first violation, he said, was obstruction of traffic as a result of the heated altercation and improper person to operate a motor vehicle carrying a penalty of driver’s license cancellation.
He urged the registered owner of the vehicle to cooperate with the investigation, saying failure to do so would compel the LTO to decide on the case based on the available evidence.
He warned motorists to keep their cool on the road, saying cases of road rage usually cause more trouble.
In another development, Mendoza ordered Verzosa to issue a show-cause order against the driver of the boom truck which rammed two vehicles in Barangay West Triangle in Quezon City on Jan. 3.
The owner of the Isuzu boom truck was also asked to explain on why he should not be penalized for reckless driving and violation of Republic Act 4136, particularly Improper Person to Operate a Motor Vehicle which has a maximum penalty of driver’s license cancellation.
The truck driver , a resident of Quezon City, was asked to submit a notarized affidavit on his explanation of the incident that left at least two people injured.
Mendoza said the vehicles hit were on a stop near a traffic light at the corner of Quezon Avenue and Examiner Street in Barangay West Triangle when they were rammed by the boom truck.
The boom truck only stopped when it crashed on a planter box located on the road.