LTO warns unregistered vehicle owners

The Land Transportation Office-National Capital Region on Thursday issued a warning, stating that driving an unregistered vehicle could result in fines, impoundment, or legal consequences under government regulations.

Regional Director Roque I. Verzosa III provided notice even as he acknowledged the outstanding performance of the Law Enforcement Service and other deputized agencies in December 2023, during which they achieved a total of 2,200 apprehensions in diverse regular operations in Metro Manila.

Verzosa reported that among those apprehended, 233 were operating unregistered motor vehicles, thereby violating the provisions of Republic Act 4136, also known as the Land Transportation and Traffic Code.

“Driving unregistered motor vehicles is considered illegal because it violates legal regulations, specifically the provisions outlined in Republic Act 4136, also known as the Land Transportation and Traffic Code,” Verzosa said in a statement.

“Vehicle registration is a crucial requirement for ensuring road safety, proper identification, and compliance with transportation laws,” he stressed.

The LTO-NCR chief reported that personnel from the Regional Law Enforcement Unit and the District Law Enforcement Teams apprehended an additional 633 motorists, according to their data.

The majority faced tickets for violating various provisions of RA 4136, including motor vehicle operating with defective accessories, devices, equipment, or parts (157), reckless driving (118), failure to carry OR/CR while driving motor vehicle (113), driving wearing slippers (45), driving without a valid driver’s license (42), unauthorized MV modification (32), and disregarding traffic signs (28).

Verzosa also reported the apprehension of 457 motorists for not wearing the prescribed seat belt device, a violation under RA 8750. Additionally, 282 individuals received tickets for not wearing the standard protective motorcycle helmet, contravening RA 10054. Ten more were cited for infringing RA 10666, known as the Children Safety on Motorcycle Act. Three individuals were also ticketed for violating RA 10193, the Anti-Distracted Driving Act.

Verzosa added that a report from LTO-NCR Assistant Regional Director Hanzley H. Lim, who concurrently oversees the Regional Law Enforcement Service, revealed that 80 motorists received education on the importance of adhering to traffic regulations.

The LTO official mentioned that these activities, which are conducted throughout the year, were under the guidance of Transportation Secretary Jaime “Jimmy” J. Bautista and LTO Assistant Secretary Atty. Vigor D. Mendoza II.