Road Rage Could Cost You Your Driver’s License Permanently, LTO Warns

(SPOT.ph) Road rage feels like a never-ending series of scenes on Philippine roads. Every week, there’s another viral clip—motorists cutting each other off, honking in retaliation, or worse, stepping out of the vehicle to throw punches. Now, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) is cracking down harder on those who turn violent behind the wheel.

LTO Chief Assistant Secretary Markus Lacanilao said the agency will now recommend lifetime revocation of driver's licenses for those found guilty of road rage, especially for serious cases involving assault, retaliation, or violence.

“Mahigpit na paalala sa mga motorista. Matagal na natin naging problema ito nung araw pa. Natatandaan niyo nung early 90s ang daming namatay dahil sa road rage. Kami sa LTO maghihigpit kami,”  Lacanilao told reporters.

“Once na nainvolve kayo sa road rage, ang rekomendasyon namin ay mawalan kayo ng lisensya pang habambuhay kaya magdalawang isip kayo bago kayo bumaba ng sasakyan at mag-create ng gulo lalong lalo na manakit kayo ng tao, may kauulang parusa ang aabutin niyo.”

This October alone, the agency has dealt with multiple cases that made the rounds of social media. Two drivers caught fighting along EDSA–Ortigas were slapped with a 90-day suspension. In Rizal, a motorist who rammed a 15-year-old on a motorcycle lost his driver’s license for life, while the teen was disqualified from reapplying for one year. Over in Biñan, Laguna, another driver was issued a show-cause order after being caught on camera during an altercation.

Also read: Recap: That Viral Road Rage Incident With the Gun-Wielding Ex-Cop

If you find yourself on the receiving end of road rage, LTO Special Operations Division Chief Gabriel Go told SPOT.ph that motorists should stay inside the vehicle, lock the doors, and avoid confronting the aggressor, especially if the other driver becomes physically or verbally hostile.

Motorists should also immediately call the MMDA hotline 136 or contact the nearest police station for assistance.

Although there is no specific law on road rage in the Philippines yet, existing regulations already allow authorities to revoke a driver’s license permanently under Republic Act No. 4136. Section 27 of the law authorizes the LTO to suspend or revoke licenses if a motorist is found to be an “improper person to operate a motor vehicle.” This includes reckless driving, repeated serious violations, or acts that endanger life or property.

Several lawmakers also filed proposals to establish a dedicated Anti-Road Rage Act in 2023, with penalties of up to one year in prison and fines of up to P100,000, even in cases with no injuries. Stricter versions of the proposal would raise imprisonment to as long as 12 years for cases resulting in serious harm. The bill remains pending before the committee as of writing.

Also read: It's Police Versus "Military Officer" in Another Viral Road Rage Incident