Sen. Grace Poe on Friday urged the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to rigorously enforce rules on issuing driver’s licenses, citing a string of deadly road crashes.
“The fatal road crashes that have killed and maimed motorists must serve as a wake-up call for transportation officials to enforce the rules on licensing to the letter,” Poe said.
Her appeal came after the May 1 road crash along the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) left at least 10 people dead, including four children, and injured dozens of others.
“Road safety depends on qualified, skilled, and law-abiding drivers. They are the only ones who should possess the license to drive,” Poe said.
The senator expressed her condolences to the families of the victims and called for immediate action to prevent similar tragedies.
She said when she authored the bill that later became Republic Act 10930, extending license validity from five to 10 years, it was intended to reward drivers with clean records. Under the law, only drivers without traffic violations are eligible to obtain a 10-year license.
“We pushed for this law to have a system that will promote ease of access to government services and efficient transportation regulations,” Poe said.
At the same time, she stressed that strict safeguards were built into the law, including mandatory driver’s education seminars and a comprehensive exam.
She also said that the longer license validity can still be revoked or suspended in case of violations.
“Let’s penalize the violators and reward the drivers with a clean record. The license is a privilege that comes with serious responsibilities,” Poe concluded.
