The Land Transportation Office (LTO) said a total of 639,323 motorists were flagged for various traffic violations in 2024, marking a 20.75 percent increase from the 529,439 violators apprehended in 2023.
LTO Chief Vigor Mendoza II attributed the surge to the agency’s stricter enforcement strategies aimed at improving road safety in the country.
“Our enforcers have gone the extra mile in enforcing traffic rules and regulations. Most of them even went on duty at night and in the wee hours of the morning just to enforce the law,” he said.
Mendoza stated that LTO-Calabarzon recorded the highest number of apprehensions at 109,159; followed by the Cagayan Valley Region with 70,855.
Calabarzon also posted a 144.11 percent increase from 44,717 apprehensions in 2023. Mimaropa followed with a 120.76 percent jump, from 14,079 motorists flagged in 2023 to 31,081 in 2024.
Meanwhile, the LTO said it impounded 29,709 vehicles in 2024, reflecting a 21.93 percent increase from the 24,366 vehicles impounded in 2023.
The LTO chief vowed to sustain the agency’s aggressive enforcement efforts to improve road safety nationwide.
“Let these results of our operations serve as a reminder to motorists that we will further strengthen our operations to ensure that all motorists follow traffic laws,” Mendoza said.
Night ops
Key operations conducted by the LTO in coordination with the Philippine National Police (PNP) and local government units included nighttime enforcement against colorum vehicles and trucks violating road safety rules, such as overloading and using worn-out tires.
During an operation along Katipunan Avenue in Quezon City on Friday, January 3, a delivery truck was apprehended for using a busted tire. The driver also lacked official documents (OR/CR) and was found to be using improvised plates.
“Hindi ko alam kung ano ang tumatakbo sa utak ng mga may-ari at driver ng truck na mga ito na alam ng kalbo na ang gulong ng sasakyan at minsan nga ay may sira pa ay talagang ipipilit pang gamitin ( I don’t know what’s going through the minds of the owners and drivers of these trucks, knowing full well that the tires are bald and sometimes even damaged, yet they still insist on using them),” Mendoza said.
“This only strengthens our resolve to make this operation on a daily basis to ensure the safety of all road users,” he added.