By Raymond Carl Dela Cruz
MANILA – Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon on Monday said individuals caught breaking traffic laws on videos online will automatically have their driver’s licenses suspended for 90 days as part of the government’s crackdown against rogue drivers.
In a press conference at the DOTr office in San Juan City, Dizon ordered the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to suspend the driver’s licenses of these individuals and called on the public to report social media posts that show disobedience or abuse of traffic laws.
“No investigation, no hearing, if we see a video with enough proof that you abused traffic rules, your licenses are suspended automatically,” he said.
To date, a vlogger called “Yanna” has been slapped with a license suspension while two others have been issued show cause orders (SCO).
The vlogger was suspended after she instigated a road rage incident in Zambales when she gave a pick-up driver the middle finger after the latter swerved during an overtake attempt.
“I don’t care if you are a famous vlogger, I don’t care. Your license will be suspended and may be revoked, you can no longer drive motorcycles. This warning is especially for those who drive motorcycles to earn. If you lose your licenses, you can no longer operate these vehicles,” he said.
During the event, LTO chief, Assistant Secretary Vigor Mendoza II, said one of those issued with an SCO and will soon have his license suspended is a vlogger named Robert Uson who runs the “Smoke Machine” page on Facebook and YouTube.
Uson earlier posted a video of a race between his Innova and a Land Cruiser on a public road.
The LTO’s crackdown is part of the government’s response to a recent spate of road crashes and blatant law-breaking posted on social media.
Dizon has earlier ordered regular and mandatory drug tests for all public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers every 90 days, reduction of their driving hours, strict road safety checks for all vehicles, implementation of the speed limiter law, and called for the establishment of the Public Transport Safety Board. (PNA)
