No facemask while riding is ‘reckless driving’

Motorist ticketed for not wearing facemask

Ever since the coronavirus pandemic started, governments around the world have been requiring their citizens to wear a facemask when outside their homes.

No complaints here. Howevere, just recently, a driver shared he was apprehended for not wearing the prescribed facemask... while inside a car. According to the driver, he was flagged down along the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and was unfortunately ticketed with a violation of “reckless driving”, because he was not wearing his facemask while driving.

He added that he paid a total fine of PhP2,077.00.  That doesn't include the time qnd effort spent redeeming his confiscated driver’s license. 

Following this same logic, motorcycle riders, too, could get ticketed with reckless driving if caught not wearing a facemask or similar protection like a balaclava.

Some of you might be asking, “What’s the connection between not wearing a facemask and driving/ riding dangerously on the road?”

This is in accordance with Land Transportation Office’s (LTO) Memorandum Circular 2020-2185, with the subject, “Guidelines in the enforcement of regulations issued by the department of transportation relative to the operation of land transportation in the General Community Quarantine (GCQ) areas”.

Under Article IV, Administrative Sanctions, Grounds, and Procedure, Section 7, a, non-compliance with the sanitary measures will be considered as a form of “reckless driving”, which, under Joint Administrative Order (JAO) 2014-01, has a corresponding fine of no less than PhP2,000 but not more than PhP10,000. It also includes possible suspension and revocation of the driver’s license for frequent offenders.

Before hopping on your motorcycle for a ride, make sure to wear your facemask or balaclava under that helmet.