New traffic violation fines take effect on June 19

The Department of Transportation and Communication’s newly promulgated traffic violation fines will take effect on June 19. Known as Joint Administrative Order No. 2014-01, the new fines and penalties include a long list of violations. Here are some of the provisions most relevant to motorists:

-Driving without a valid driver’s license/conductor’s permit: P3,000

This includes driving with an expired, revoked, suspended, inappropriate driver’s license restriction code, inappropriate driver’s license classification, fake driver’s license, tourist driving a motor vehicle with a valid foreign driver’s license beyond the 90-day maximum allowable period and a student driver driving without being accompanied by a duly licensed driver.

-Failure to carry driver’s license, certificate of registration or official receipt while driving a motor vehicle: P1,000

-Reckless driving:

First offense P2,000

Second offense P3,000 plus 3 months suspension of license

Third offense P10,000 plus 6 months suspension

Subsequent offense P10,000 and revocation of driver’s license.

-Not wearing a seatbelt:

First offense P1,000

Second offense P2,000

Third and subsequent offense P5,000 plus 1 week suspension

The seat belt regulation includes the front seat passenger. The law also prohibits children 6 years old and below to sit in the front passenger seat.

-Not wearing standard protective helmet for motorcycle riders:

First offense P1,500

Second offense P3,000

Third offense P5,000

Fourth and succeeding P10,000

-All other violations of traffic rules and regulations: P1,000

This includes: illegal parking, disregarding traffic signs, failure to dim headlights, allowing passengers on top, driving against traffic, illegal turn, illegal overtaking, cutting an overtaken vehicle, overtaking at unsafe distance, failure to give way to overtaking vehicle, increasing speed when being overtaken, overtaking on a curve, failure to yield right of way, failure to signal, and unsafe towing