The Inter-Agency Council for Traffic (i-ACT) has been working tirelessly since the start of the pandemic last year. To this day, they are still on the road, monitoring every day traffic.
i-ACT is composed of law enforcers from the Department of Transportation (DOTr), Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA), Land Transportation Office (LTO), Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB), the Philippine National Police Highway Patrol Group (PNP- HPG) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).
Unfortunately, during their everyday law enforcement activities, motorcycle riders continue to be one of the top traffic violators on their list. The top violation? Not wearing the prescribed standard motorcycle safety helmet.
Many of these motorcycle riders, according to the daily report of i-ACT, were only wearing helmets designed for bicycle use, while others did not wear a helmet at all.
No safety mindset
Despite the higher risk of injury when not wearing a standard motorcycle helmet, many riders still don't wear the proper helmet for their own safety.
“Many motorcycle riders seem to think that wearing a helmet is only a form of compliance and not an important aspect of their safety,” said motorcycle rights group, Motorcycle Rights Organization (MRO).
We’ve discussed this before in an effort to establish a safety mindset with the story, “7 lazy excuses for not getting / wearing a proper helmet.” Some of the inexcusable reasons are as absent-minded as, “May bibilhin lang sa kanto (I'm just going to buy something nearby)” or “My hair is still wet, that’s why I’m not wearing my helmet”.
Penalty
Section 7 of RA 10054 or the Motorcycle Helmet Act of 2009 prescribes a penalty for not wearing a standard or motorcycle-specific helmet of PhP1,500.00 which could go as much as PhP10,000 for the 4th and succeeding offenses, including the confiscation of the driver’s license.
