LTO pushing for Anti-Road Rage-specific law with severe penalties

If there’s something good that resulted from the incident when ex-cop Wilfredo Gonzales pulled a gun on an unarmed cyclist after an alleged traffic altercation, it's that policymakers realized the severity of road rage on the streets and that our existing laws don’t have enough teeth to punish these hot-headed drivers.

That may soon change. Earlier this month, Representatives Erwin Tulfo, Edvic Yap, Jocelyn Tulfo, Eric Yap, and Ralph Tulfo co-authored House Bill (HB) 8991 or the Anti-Road Rage Bill.

The Land Transportation Office (LTO), too, wants a law that would make a hot-headed driver think twice before going ballistic on the road because of the severity of the penalties.

“Even on the penalty, we read the current laws and they’re a bit prohibitive. We cannot impose a penalty higher than 4 years - suspension or revocation - because that 4 years would involve death or injury. If there’s no death or injury, but the road rage incident is so severe, it should involve a special law so that the penalties would not be just a simple violation of RA 4136 (Land Transportation and Traffic Code), reckless driving, or improper person to operate a motor vehicle. We need something that defines and penalizes road rage incidents,” says LTO chief, Atty. Vigor Mendoza III.

The LTO chief added that the agency is currently working on a proposal for Congress that clearly defines what is considered road rage.

Earlier, Senate President, Miguel Zubiri also said that a special law must be created to avoid road rage incidents and to ensure the protection of drivers, motorists, and the riding public in general.