4,504 drivers apprehended for not wearing seatbelt in Region 4A

LTO tickets more than 4,500 drivers for violating Republic Act 8750

A total of 7,407 unregistered motor vehicles were apprehended while a total of 4,502 motorists were penalized for not wearing seatbelts in the aggressive operations of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) CALABARZON regional office for the month of September.

Republic Act 8750 or the Seat Belts Use Act of 1999 requires the mandatory use of seatbelt devices on both private and public motor vehicles.

In his report to LTO Chief, Assistant Secretary Atty. Vigor Mendoza II, LTO-CALABARZON Regional Director Elmer Decena said his men also apprehended 54 drivers during the regionwide anti-colorum drive.

Of the unregistered vehicles apprehended, a total of 4,007 of them were motorcycles; 1,908 of them were tricycles; 820 are privately-owned vans; 465 were sedans; 143 were trucks; 22 were sports utility vehicles (SUVs); 18 were passenger jeepneys; 13 are vans being used for public transportation; nine private buses; and, and two passenger buses.

In the operation against unregistered motor vehicles, RD Decena said the Cabuyao District Office was the top performer with 410 apprehensions, followed by Lucena District Office with 295, and San Pablo City District Office with 239.

In the operations for the implementation of the Seatbelt Law, Cabuyao District Office also emerged as the top performer with 766 apprehensions, followed by Calamba District Office with 474 and San Pablo with 293.

“We already imposed appropriate penalties and warning to the owners of the apprehended motor vehicles that remain unregistered that they will face stiffer sanctions if they fail to renew the registration of their motor vehicles,” said RD Decena.

“And based on the instruction of Asec Mendoza, we are now preparing appropriate criminal charges against the owners and drivers of the apprehended colorum vehicles,” he added.

Asec Mendoza earlier ordered all regional directors to conduct aggressive operations against colorum vehicles, unregistered motor vehicles, and other land transportation-related laws.