LTO wants law to penalize road rage instigators

The Land Transportation Office (LTO) will push for the creation of a special law that clearly defines and penalizes road rage incidents, according to a report by Philippine News Agency.

LTO chief Assistant Secretary Vigor Mendoza II said the agency is doing a study on the definition of road rage and sanctions that could be imposed, noting that current penalties are "prohibitive" especially when incidents do not result in death or injury.

“We cannot impose (a) penalty higher than four years, suspension or revocation because that four years would be mayroong (there should be) death or injury. Kung walang death or injury, kung grabe naman pagka-road rage niya, parang may special law siya, para ‘yung penalty niya would not be just a simple violation noong 4136 [Land Transportation and Traffic Code], reckless driving or improper person. ‘Yung specific penalty talaga, define it and penalize road rage incident (If there were no deaths or injuries but the road rage incident is worse, there should be a special law so that the penalty wouldn't just be a simple violation of Republic Act 4136). There should be a specific penalty),” Mendoza said.

Once done with the study, the LTO would propose to Congress to craft a law defining and penalizing road rage.

“We’re doing complete staff work for now because it [road rage] is hard to define," he said.

Several road rage incidents, one of them involving a former police officer, in Quezon City and Valenzuela City last month went viral on social media.

The LTO acted on these incidents by issuing show-cause orders to the drivers involved.

In the Quezon City incident, Mendoza directed the revocation of the license of dismissed police officer Wilfredo Gonzales following a gun-toting act against cyclist Allan Bandiola.

In an inquiry last week, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said a special law on road rage incidents should be crafted to ensure the protection of drivers, motorists and the riding public.