NO SHOES AND HELMET, NO MOTORBIKE RIDE, LTO INSISTS	September 19, 2008

Regional Director Romeo Maglanque of the Land Transportation Office recently ordered all its district and extension office heads, its adjudicators and concerned personnel all over Region 02 to manually implement and enforce LTO Administrative Order 2008-015 or “rules and regulations for the use and operation of motorcycles on highways.”

The Order strictly covers the compulsory registration of motorcycles and scooters, use of number plates, updating of driver’s license, driving speed limit, limitation of backrider and cargo load, wearing of standard helmet, and the use of motorcycle accessories.

The Order also includes miscellaneous traffic rules for motorcycles and scooters such as, (1) no driver shall operate a motorcycle while under the influence of liquor or narcotic drugs, (2) no driver shall use a cellular phone or other gadgets while operation a motorcycle, and (3) a driver shall observe the rule on “one lane per vehicle only” such that lane splitting is prohibited.

The following fines and penalties shall be imposed against violators:

• Fine for failure of driver/rider and/or backrider to wear prescribed helmet - P1,000 plus seminar on traffic safety management;
• Fine for carrying more passengers other than the backrider or cargo other than the saddle bags and luggage carriers – P1,000;
• Fine for defective accessories such as headlight, tail light, signal light, brake light, side mirror and horn – P1,000;
• Fine for modifying any part of the original designs of a motorcycle or scooter without the approval of the LTO and the DTI – P2,000;
• Fine for wearing flip flops, sandals or slippers or for being bare footed while operating motorcycle or a road or highway – P500 for the first offense, P700 for the second offenses and P1,000 for the third offense.#gbb (GO-PAIAD)