TMG cracks whip on traffic law violators

The Traffic Management Group (TMG) has announced that it has apprehended some 714 motorists for not wearing seat belts while driving their vehicles.

In a report obtained by The STAR, the TMG said its agents also flagged down a total of 3,414 vehicles that did not have plates. The TMG, however, did not indicate in its report the duration of its operations against violators of the seat belt law and the no plate, no travel policy.

Many drivers ignore Republic Act 8750, the seat belt law, which has been enforced since May 1, 2000. Under the law, people in the front seats of a vehicle – driver and passenger alike – should use seat belts.

The law also provides that passengers not facing the front of the vehicle or seated on “jump seats” are not required to wear seat belts. For public utility jeeps, the driver and passengers in front should wear seat belts.

For public utility buses, the driver, passengers seated directly behind the driver and passengers seated by the doors of the vehicle are required to wear seat belts.

For school and tourist buses, seat belts should be worn by the driver, passengers seated directly behind the driver and passengers seated on the last row seats.

The law also penalizes the driver, conductor, owner or operator for not wearing a seat belt with P250 for the first offense, P500 for the second offense and P 1,000 and a one-week suspension of license for the third offense.

RA 8750 also indicates that a driver shall be fined P300 for not informing passengers to wear a seat belt while an owner or operator of a vehicle that does not have seat belts will be fined P 1,000 for the first offense, P 2,000 for second offense and P 3,000 and three months’ suspension of certificate of registration for the third offense.

The TMG also reported a significant decrease of cases of car theft in February compared to the first month of the year. The TMG said a total of 65 vehicles were stolen in February, which was lower by 36 cases compared to 101 stolen vehicles in  January.

TMG director Chief Superintendent Perfecto Palad attributed the accomplishment of the TMG to the intensified campaign against street crimes ordered by Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Avelino Razon Jr.

Palad also reported that TMG operatives have recovered 28 stolen motor vehicles, confiscated illegal items such as 31 sirens, eight blinkers, and 105 fog lights.