LTO wants to have firmer penalties for road rage incidents

Land Transportation Office (LTO) Chief Assistant Secretary Atty. Vigor Mendoza II wants a law that justly penalizes road rage incidents. Mendoza said that penalties in road rage incidents are “not that tough,” which led him to task the agency to further explore the matter with the aim of putting firmer sanctions.  

LTO wants to have tougher penalties for road rage

Mendoza shared that the LTO will push for creating a law that will clearly define and penalize road rage incidents. As such, the agency is now doing its own study to be able to establish a clearer definition of what road rage is, which is seen to eventually impose tougher penalties on motorists who will get involved in such incidents.  

The LTO chief explained that “penalties in road rage incidents are not that tough, especially if it did not result in death or in an injury of an individual.”

“Even sa penalty no, kaya binasa namin ‘yung batas medyo prohibitive ‘yung penalty, we cannot impose penalty higher than four years, suspension or revocation dahil nga that four years would be mayroong death or injury,” Mendoza shared.

(We read the law, and the penalty is quite prohibitive since we cannot impose a penalty higher than four years. The law states that we can impose a penalty of four years, suspension, or revocation [of driver’s license] if there’s death or injury in the incident.)  

LTO chief assistant secretary Atty. Vigor Mendoza II

Mendoza is referring to Republic Act (RA) No. 10930 otherwise known as the Land Transportation and Traffic Code, which states:  

"In case of death or physical injuries resulting in the loss of any part of the victim's body or the use thereof, insanity, imbecility, impotence or blindness, or incapacity to work for more than ninety (90) days, the license of the offending driver shall be revoked for a period of four (4) years, after a finding by the court that such driver was negligent or at fault.”

Mendoza wants to have a specific penalty in relation to road rage incidents, which is why the LTO will be proposing to Congress to craft a law for it.

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri also believes that a special law should be crafted to avoid road rage incidents. Zubiri said that it can provide protection to drivers, motorists, and the riding public in general.    

Road rage is never a good idea

Previously, five lawmakers including Deputy Majority Leader of the Philippine House of Representatives Erwin Tulfo filed House Bill (HB) 8991 which seeks to put stiffer fines and sanctions on motorists who engage in road rage.

HB 8991 or “An Act Penalizing Acts of Road Rage and for Other Purposes” or simply “Anti-Road Rage Act of 2023” defines road rage as “aggressive, hostile, or violent behavior in traffic or on the road.” It includes cursing or any form of verbal abuse, reckless driving, and use of force against another person, among others. 

If passed into law, violators can face a penalty of up to 12 years imprisonment in cases resulting in death.

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